Is anyone prepping in MA? I’m on the Cape.
http://www.fluwikie.com/index.php?n=Geographic.ServiceMassachusetts
So much for our “summit”
…”The warning signs are clearly there,” Leavitt said at the meeting of medical professionals and others who gathered at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. “This is a vicious killer.”
The bird flu shows genetic similarities to the 1918 “Spanish flu” that killed millions of people worldwide, including 45,000 people in Massachusetts, he said.
Leavitt urged local governments to establish or improve response plans so that there are clear lines of command to distribute vaccines and information.
At the summit, Gov. Mitt Romney announced legislation to spend $36.5 million for state preparedness, such as stockpiling medications and recruiting volunteers.
The governor said he’s more optimistic than his friend Leavitt, a former governor of Utah who recruited Romney to take over management of the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics. But he said it’s better to be prepared.
“I’m convinced it’s an investment we should make,” Romney said at a news conference. “This (proposal) will allow us to respond to any kind of emergency, whether it’s a pandemic, or man-made or a natural disaster.”
Romney did encourage individuals to stockpile “at least a couple of weeks of food and water in their homes.”…
anything is better than nothing though
Hi Cinda - I live on the Cape too.
Crufullmoon - Several friends that I have been bugging heard that they should stockpile food and water on Channel 5 last night. Finally!
I am in Boston and cannot BELIEVE how little coverage this story got. I keep sending out emails with links to these stories but very few of my friends and family take this seriously.
Seacoast and Owl- my e-mail is Cindala1960@yahoo.com if you’d care to trade ideas on preps. What was on Channel 5? I don’t watch much TV
I think they had a discussion thread, too, near the story link (and I thought the Oprah one was bad… what did I know?) I don’t watch tv either. If you don’t want the whole world to see your email address, you could probably work something out with DemfromCT… [sorry I didn’t “tiny” that link up there]
http://www.lowellsun.com/ci_3491991
…”BOSTON — State plans to handle a pandemic flu outbreak are under way, but Lowell officials say a miscalculation in one particular area could stop a response dead in its tracks — the disposal of bodies.”…
…”“I’ve talked to all the funeral homes in Lowell, and there is no capacity for those fatalities,” he said.
Singleton said the state must look closely at the procedures and storage involved in handling the deceased, and be ready to make changes if disaster strikes. “…
Uh, before disaster strikes would be the time to get changes made, but glad it is starting to get mentioned in the papers. The clock is ticking. Keep contacting your local and state authorities; the details need a lot of work. (Maybe search for the “Bring out your dead thread” before you contact them on this issue).
From the state summit Feb 7th. http://tinyurl.com/m47ye
My boss was there. He said it was a disaster.
I could have told him that and saved a trip; we saw what the fed website had for state templates; the quick list of issues they’d have to be on their own at a local level for.
And, we weren’t hearing from the public in each state after their summits, because the public isn’t getting told this is expected to go pandemic.
Also my state representatives and local official I contacted the week before (to find out if they were attending!) has not heard of a state pandemic summit, and the people who answere the phones did not even know of the federal pandemic website up since last Oct.
Did you boss say who actually got invited to this thing??
The ones who went certainly don’t want to educate the public! Only manage them once emergency authority is in place?? Are they going to claim after pandmeic that no one had any idea the fatality rate could be so high??
It was public health commissioners and emergency management people, I believe. The Reveres were there, as well.
Well, yay for Reveres!!
Do something, so I don’t have to try and buttonhole everyone in town, and my state emergency region, though! (I no can do!)
The educating the public part is the most important part until vaccines are ready. Time’s a wastin’.
:-/
WBUR did a show today Preparing for the Bird Flu Pandemic and is rerunning it, and it can be downloaded to listen to, too.
I am finding a person here or there who has been prepping on the quiet, yet not doing anything to get locals to prepare the community.
Hopefully, more people will be coming to ask the local officials what our communities are doing to prepare after this radio show, and other media pieces, get around…
Also happened to tell a HCW this week about H5N1/Pandemic, and gave websites to look at, and, they were incredibly thankful for the heads-up. (Probably the best response I’ve had in over a year! Such a shock for me!)
We finally just approached hubby’s cousin who lives next door. He knew what my husband was talking about. seemed a bit taken back- but I think more that my husband had actually said anyhing than by the subject matter itself. Cousin is no fool- he is very intelligent and skilled in many areas. I was not surprised that he wasn’t informed. But here in NE the old yankee families keep to themselves- even so far as to cousins next door. We have thought af how to approach some people- and the opportunity presented itself and hubby took it. It’s just a first step- but it’s progress
I started out by emailing friends, family, neighbors, close acquaintances, co-workers, referencing them to fluwikie. Only one person contacted me. Since then have brought up the subject tactfully in personal contacts, not much response.. First reaction to all this was to just give up, but feel that we have to keep trying.. If all of us can persuade just one or two people we may just save a lot of lives if TSHTF. Now a few people I talk to frequently are starting to get it, but do not know how many of those are actually taking it seriously enough to do any prepping.. Am halfway through John Barry’s book 1918, The Great Inluenza. While scary, the sad thing is how the Federal Government was so caught up in the war that they deliberately ignored the advice of the best medical people of that time. The military continued to move people from camp to camp against the most vehmenent objections. They were advise to temporarily stop sending shiploads of soldiers and to quarintine them until it was certain there was no sickness aboard. The ships continued. They became Death Ships. The Wilson Administration put in place such censorship that I am sure if we read the newspapers from that time that there would be almost nothing except articles saying that things were not bad at all and that the best way to beat the flu was not to panic, and people who wrote or said otherwise were beaten, killed in a few instances, or tried and jailed. Many politicians out and out lied, although a few people were courageous.. A sad moment in our history. Can not recommend this book highly enough to all fluwikie readers. Living in Massachusetts and reading fellow wikies postings from all over the country, it does not seem to matter where people live, what their beliefs, politics, etc., they just are either afraid or ignorant of this subject. That does seem to be changing as more and more of the media are picking this up.. Let us hope that it does some good..
Keep on trying,you will save lives!
So frustrating.
The supermarket bag flyers or buying ad space in papers - starting to sound like a good idea…
crfullmoon, I am in Ma. as well..I really don’t find any news on BF on the TV or newspapers..I have seen alot more chicken ads’on TV though, and they are annoying, especially ‘ burger-kings’ big ‘bucking chicken’ what a stupid advertisement. ( my husband and I hate that ad ). I tend to think the people in Ma. will soon be replacing that “ B” to a more popular letter : )
I don’t really watch tv, and get my news online (Google news, BBC, here, ect) but, WBUR FM 90.9 has done more shows on H5N1 lately.
(Hey, even on “Science Fri” on right now!)
Please tell me there are more people in MA getting prepared - and more officials telling the public about the possibility of pandemic in a realistic way…
Preparing in Mass. also wrote a letter to the local police dept. to see if they would talk about it in their next crime prevention meeting. Any meeting that gets it out to the police is good. I started there. But have not had a reply yet from the police dept. I told them it was very important topic. And why is nothing being said.
correction i meant to say to the public where its says to the police
nightly news 6:30 has bird flu right now
I’m in western Ma and have known about this and have mentioned this to my neighbors for years. I prayed I was wrong but I prepared as much as we are able. We have 7 people that we need to supply food and water for.
I have emailed officials in our town and there is no one with a plan. My neighbors, while somewhat aware, did not prepare from what I can tell. I have told my extended family members to no avail. I have told my fellow churchgoers and even had a blog. No one is listening.
Been prepping for a family of four since December. We live in Boston. Two adults, two small children. Never done anything like this before, but got very worried once I began researching BF. Have at least six months of food supplies consisting of freeze dried dehydrated, dried pasta, rice, beans and various canned goods. Have about a one month supply of water b/n store bought gallons and empty containers which I would fill if tshtf. I check this site and others daily for news of cluster increases and am prepared to pull the kids out of school and to work from home immediately when I feel the time is appropriate. I’m done talking about it with friends and collegues, the majority simply won’t take it seriously. I got my parents to listen, but not enough for them to prep, so I’m filling superpails of rice and beans for them to leave at their home.
Got the wife on board about two months into my prepping after I had her read about the rapid spread into Europe/Africa. We’re both rational, educated professionals and have never done anything like this b/f. That said, I now feel much better about our preps, and we’ll eventually use (almost) everything we’ve purchased so not much will go to waste.
Hoping it never hits but if it does, I’m not waiting around or expecting help from the government, self preservation is enough of a motivator.
I continue to prep, just a bit slower now that I have the essentials (except for masks- I haven’t been able to find any- all backordered) Hubby built another “pantry” downstairs for the canned goods juices and water. Lamp oil and extra lamp parts, soaps-(all kinds), bleach, plastic wrap aluminum foil candles and such and papergoods will stay in the original downstairs pantry and foods that mice or bugs would get into will stay in the upstairs pantry where I can keep an eye on them. We don’t have mice or bugs that we are aware of ( we do have a cat and that may be why!) but it could happen- Over the weekend I got my garden tilled and my peas in, I planted about 1000 pea “seeds”. Last week we bought a double burner propane “stove” at Dicks for my pressure canner, and my 2 water bath canners too. I can set it up in the garage. That way I can still can my veggies and meat if we lose electric, and also it’ll keep the kitchen from getting all steamed up. Guess the first batch will be peas! I think I’ll need more jars! I’ll freeze some too. I have only spoken to a few select people in my family and stopped immediately as soon as they showed they don’t have the time or the guts to think about this issue. On the Cape they all seem to live in white picket fence - it’ll never happen here, world. My daughter will be graduating college 5/13 and it looks like we’ll make it to then and then some before H2H can become an issue here so I won’t have to worry about her being up at school getting exposed, but when she comes home she works in a bank- and we all know money is the dirtiest germiest thing going- so I will be watching her closely. She’s one to catch any bug that even casts a shadow on her- so I worry a lot. Hubby has all the man-thing issues under control with a good supply of propane and gasoline-extra chainsaw parts, a plan and barrels and a filter for rainwater collection- we already have 2 barrels set up for the garden, etc. I will keep adding to the food supply but I think we are as ready as we can be. Hope all here in MA are proceeding and well along with their preps
(Cats don’t seem to keep the mice out of the house around here!) So frustrating so few (even offiwant to “be paranoid and think the worst may happen” or whatever that quote was. Hard to feel prepared when so many around are not. Unrestful. (And not sure I’ll ever be all prepared for a year of pandemic, nope.)
oops: “officials” -who are charged with telling their communities to prepare to solve their own problems without outside aid. Time’s a-wastin’.
It’s hard to get that much food and other needs put aside. We’ve always been ones to have a full pantry and freezer so we started out further ahead than most - I shop that way to save $ and now to make sure we have food and necessities for a long time. A year? I don’t know bout that. I don’t know what to think about that idea. I know we should have that much, and maybe we do and I just haven’t sat down and figured it all out. So much of it is dehydrated it’s hard to think about that in terms of servings of non dehydrated foods- I probably have more than I think I do.
Cinda, sounds like you have the situation well covered. I can not believe how far I have come in my own preps since picking up a couple of extra cans of food back in September 2005. At first it seemed overwhelming as I read the various threads on Fluwiki, food, water, heat, lights, meds, the list seemed to go on and on, not to mention the money involved. Now looking around I finally feel like I am (almost!) ready. Similar to you, have canned goods, MREs, dry, freeze dried, dehydrated, rice, beans, most of the recommended meds, to include our 3 month supply of our regular prescriptions, masks, emergency radio, lots of batteries, much of which have long shelf lives, and which I can eat, well, not the batteries!, whether Pandemic or not. Hopefully enough to last my small family for six months, although the diet might get a little boring towards the end. Eventually we will have to get out to restock, hopefully by that time the waves will pass, or at least be a midwave lull to stock up on some things. Some things we have to hope will hold up, at least most of the time, such as water, sewer, electricity, although as most will do, plan on using up the refrigerated foods first, then the freezer stuff, just in case. Have a wood stove, unused for a long time, but still works, with a few weeks of wood inside. A/C might be a problem if it hits in Summer, house gets very warm without it. Just remembered, check out battery powered fans just in case! As many have commented, there will always be things we need, but at least now my feeling is that the hardest part is over for many of us. A good feeling.
It is a nice feeling to know that you can make it 6 months. I think I probably have at least that much. might be more.
We have a coal stove but not alot of coal left. We’ve been trying to figure out where we could put a full trailer load of coal because we can get it fairly inexpensively straight from Penn. Looking for 1 or 2 other people in our area who might want to buy some of it as we have a loader we can use to load their trucks from our pile if we can get actually get it.
My best recommendation for staving off food fatigue is lots of spices and different canned sauces/gravies and sauce mixes. I’ve never ever been one to buy much premade anything- I’m primarily a scratch cook, but I’ve been picking up unusual stuff at Trader Joes and the Christmas tree Shop in hopes of warding off boredom with food. I’m sure this will be a test of creativity in the kitchen! The cook books will get dog-eared. Trader Joes has some really neat stuff and even if I think it’s a bit expensive now- I’m certain it’ll be priceless after 6 months or so- even after 3 months. I’ll be canning a lot of the red meat that is in my freezer over the next few weeks before the garden starts producing and then it’ll be veggies therough the summer and fall. So I think that’ll be most of my continuing preps for the forseeable future.
Stopping off at Trader Joe’s after this - have to use the library computer until I get internet problems at home fixed. Local officials still want to give general “emergency preparation” public lectures but don’t want to specifically get folks ready for pandemic “because we have to stay flexible for any emergency” -well, I think pandemic influenza is unique enough it needs its own separate focus, and public presentations, and separate planning committees. Can’t be on the beach saying, We can’t tell the public about tsunami because we might need the lifeguard now, or someone might get food poisoning from their picnic, or there might be a terrorist incident; we need to talk about general emergency planning. If there is a tsunami, then we’ll tell the public more. Problem is, it takes months of changes and preparation and communication to be ready for certain kinds of natural disasters… Telling the public to keep 3 days of food and water on hand still isn’t being honest.
First responders still aren’t being told to stock up their households, either, and “emergency volunteers” still aren’t being told they’re being counted on even if we have an extremely contagious virulent natural disaster. (Nor do I hear of funds buying local PPE, ect) I wasn’t the person at the lecture who pointed out if there are no vaccines the most important planning priority would be how our municipality would cope if everyone got sick! And answering public questions about the current H5N1 in animals by saying “it hasn’t been found in the US yet” does nothing to “prevent panic” when it is announced; the public is not unreasonable to ask what will and won’t be safe once it is here; why not give them the information now? They already made that mistake in Europe.
Tell everyone to lock their barn doors after the first horse is reported stolen?? might be too late; why not act when we get word horse thieves are on their way?
CINDA … TRY HOMEDEPOT IN THE CONTRACTORS SECTION THEY HAVE N95 MASK BOX OF TWENTY FOR $17.95
Cinda…wow! 1000 pea plants…really? I feel accomplished with my first attempt and 10 plants started! You must have a wonderful garden.
Soon to get our wood stove…
Next, I need to learn to pressure can. Feeling like it’s 1890.
Apple butter…yum anyone making some?
HI All! Birdwatcher- thanks for the mask tip- never would have though of Home Depot, I’ll check them out this weekend.
Belarusmama – at 19:09 Good for you and your first garden. But I warn you- it’s addictive. Ask my husband- he’s had to enlarge ours every year since I first started!! After the harvest as soon as the new catalogs start coming in I get out my graph paper and start to plan the next springs. Yes 1000 peas. or very close to it- Gosh I hope it’s not really more! I just opend all the packages I’ve collected the past few years, and that’s quite a few, and planted them all.I have no idea what the harvest from that many pea plants will be like, but I think I’ll be canning and freezing A LOT of peas!!! Maybe I won’t need to plant any next year- or the year after…….., well some for the afterwork weeding dinners in the garden! I planted the most of a kind called Paso peas -you can get them from Parks seeds. They are very small and sweet. Of course- like the cherry tomatoes- not all of them- ok -a lot of them- don’t make it out of the garden! Last year my cousin-in-law, (if there is such a thing) and I ate so many cherry tomatoes everynight after work while weeding that our mouths started to hurt- but they were so good we kept right on eating them!!! We lost weight too because we were too stuffed with tomatoes, peas , beans and anything else that was edible on any given night to eat real supper. The thing is- you need to have a bucket of clean cold water, a sharp knife, and salt and pepper with you. It goes like this -Cut, rinse, cut smaller if needed (raw turnip is delicious but hard to bite)salt and/or pepper, chomp!!! My garden has been beautiful some years, and the year before last was a complete dud. Too much rain and cool weather. Last year I was into tomatoes and tried out 27 different kinds of heirloom tomatoes 2 each and about 10 regular plain old tomatoes and then of course the cherry ones. This year the focus is on peppers- all differnt kinds, heats, and colors. I’m finally just getting into my last 2 bags that I froze last fall. One cut into strips for stir fry and one chunks for chille and spaghetti sauce. Daughter made some amazing salsa with the tomatoes peppers and cilantro we grew. Got to have plenty of that to last us through. Have tomatoes, peppers and brocolli started, planning on planting the beans cukes, squashes and melons from seed directly in the garden the 1st week of June. Thats really the earliest I have had any luck planting here on the Cape.
Canning is not hard-, well it can be hot sweaty & heavy, but thats good for us! Just have to follow the directions and NO shortcuts. If you want some excellent advice log into Backwoods Home Magazine’s web site and find Ask Jackie or Jackie Clay- don’t recall how it’s listed. Many of her columns that she writes for them are on-line there and she has canned everything under the sun. She has tons of great advice for living without modern conveniences. There’s a CD or DVD of her stuff too.
Apple butter is something I’ve always wanted to make. I’ve read several recipes for making it in a crock pot- might try that this year. Does any one have a great recipe they have made in the past?
Your very welcome Cinda. I was surprised to find them there myself. I couldn’t find them in any of the medical supply stores, or drug stores. Out of desperation I stopped off at Home Depot and by my surprise there they where.
I made applebutter up north in N.H. but that was so long ago . I never got a receipt. but i do remember cooking the apples over the stove adding mollasses and sugar. Maybe you could experiment. Cinda..if you find a good receipt post it please.
Lowes has n-95 masks as well.
bump
Pardon my ignorance, but what does “bump” mean?
“bump” means that birdwatcher wants to get this thread bumped back to the top of the forum topic list so it will be seen. Me posting this explanation did the same:-)
Thanks Okieman!
Cinda I am indeed so very impressed with your gardening skills and the scope! Yes, the gardening thing is addicting. I am proud of the start we have going this year. A true test of time management with a running 2 year old! It is all a learning experience and I really am thankful in a strange way that we have this bird flu thing hanging over our heads. It really causes one to pause and take stock of living and just how we are living.
We are land short here and I am thinking of approaching our town to see if a community garden could be started. We have this great location in one of the conservation lands…so we’ll see. Usually that is so hands off. I know that Lincoln has an amazing community garden, so perhaps I should speak with someone there to see how they got started.
I am now obsessed with finding land! My poor husband. First we buy a coleman stove, now we are getting a wood stove….perhaps a farm next?!
Belarusmama – at 16:09
It is indeed hard to find the time. I work FT and have a total of 1.75hrs commute -on a good day- and sometimes almost 2.5–3 with the traffic Friday nights and/or Monday mornings in the summer- as you can imagine. No matter what road you take to get there, you still have cross the bridge to get home. I’m hopeless at relaxing, and can never ever just sit. Have to be “doing something” handcrafts, patching hubby’s jeans etc… In the summer I find working in my garden the most relaxing thing I can do and still be productive, and I look forward to it every day. In the morning it’s fun to walk around it and see what happened over night- when I get home, sometimes I don’t even change, I head straight to it, to see what happened while I was at work. Invarably I find myself leaning over the fence pulling any weed I can reach that had the audacity to try to squat in my garden! Sometimes I can even be found actually in there in my work clothes and high heels!! My Grama always told me “Digging in the dirt cleanses your soul” There is no better feeling for me then the way I feel coming up from the garden with dirty hands and an armfull of whatever was ready (that actually made it out of the garden :))- unless it’s doing all that and then stopping and smelling the clean sunwashed sheets on the line on the way in! I think Grama was on to something. Keep at it!
Anyone in Mass. think the New Jersey bf find is mysterious, scary ??? What your thoughts on it.
I think it is something to watch closely. That said - look how many other places it has spread to birds with little b2h infection. I think we have to pay attention, and, as it says in the Public Garden “Please don’t Feed the Birds”
http://www.capecodonline.com/cctimes/capetries12.htm
“May 12, 2006 Cape tries to fulfill pandemic planning”
[snip] …”Before two years ago, when local departments were told to develop a pandemic flu plan”… [slow burn/volcano alert! Why didn’t they tell the public and ask for help??]
…They’re trying to duplicate in public health what’s taken decades to accomplish in emergency management, said Harwich Health Director Paula Champagne. The state health department’s list is impossible in light of many health departments’ limited staffs and large workloads, she said. …
…Stung by the lack of planning for Hurricane Katrina last year, and concerned about terrorist threats, the federal government is urging local communities to have detailed emergency health plans in place.
The state Department of Public Health has outlined eight steps it says local health departments should complete by the end of the fiscal year on June 30, although there is no reward for those that do nor a penalty for those that don’t, said Assistant Public Health Commissioner Dr. Alfred DeMoria. The state also will hold emergency preparedness conferences for local officials throughout the state, starting this month.
The town to-do list includes identifying sites where vaccine or medications would be handed out, creating staffing plans, understanding how the town’s municipal and business infrastructure would be affected, and making sure each town has a mutual-aid agreement with neighboring health departments…
…Most Cape towns passed articles at their town meetings this spring that will begin the process of establishing health department mutual-aid agreements similar to those of fire departments. …
…Once local health departments finish the eight-step checklist, they will need to do a live drill of their emergency pandemic flu plan to see whether it works. Dennis will do exactly that this fall, during the annual flu clinic, Hayes said.”
[Meanwhile, what if it happens before that? -Bet that checklist never says to Educate and Stock up the public and Get Essentials the municipalities need now]
“For town officials
Beginning this month, the state Department of Public Health will hold emergency preparedness conferences with local officials around the state beginning this month. For the southeast region, which includes Cape Cod and the islands, the meeting is at 8:30 a.m. May 26 at the Holiday Inn in Taunton”
Information: www.mass.gov/dph/
[Looks like they all figured out where their Emergency Dispensing Sites should be -but of course there’s no vaccine or antivirals- congregating during pandemic is not wise to hand out anything ! -The most important part - the COOP plans for town, school, government, business infrastructures is mostly not started! -Because, that would involve telling the public, and the legendary “panic” might ensue -which may be a code word for changes in economic priorities?? -or Just a lot of unhappy questions with no good answers and they don’t want to hear them??]
[Can’t seem to find online when the other towns are having their emergency preparedness conferences with the state.]
crfullmoon.
I would like to forward the info to my town officials, but the link is just a general one. Do you happen to have the link that details the conferences so I can make sure that a representative attends. Thanks.
All this rain coupled with the news in Indonesia is making this a pretty dark day.
[Can’t seem to find online when the other towns are having their emergency preparedness conferences with the state.]
I suspect your and my Public Health honchos know when they have to have their “plan” ready to go to a state conference, but haven’t made that info publically noticable anywhere; we may have to call and ask them.
The one here hasn’t been into accepting input from concerned citizens, especially if it involves educating and telling the public what we know and don’t know and how much preparedness needs to be going on.
or maybe, we should call the state dph and ask when the other regions/towns are scheduled - would they tell us?
I shot my wad with town officials over y2k, lost my credibility then, so I’m not saying anything locally. I think the Board of Health may be gearing up for something, but so far its Emergency Preparedness webside is just pablum.
I tweaked a little for h5n1, but I was already in good shape. My employer implemented a good plan during SARS. I haven’t seen anything yet for h5n1, but I’m hopeful it will follow before too long. I work in Boston. I’m used to taking public transportation, but that is what will have to go. Ugh! It will mean driving to work especially early in the morning so I can part in one of the outside lots in Southie. I’m hoping to at least be able to cut down the number of days I have to commute at all.
Right now we’re getting soaked. I erected a tarp over my potato beds to keep them from drowning. Garlic is coming up well. Tomatoes and peppers are still inside.
crfullmoon
Too bad about the non-reponsiveness of your official. Perhaps doing a mass email to all town officials could help get the ball rolling. I will ask our heath department about the meeting tomorrow and if get “huh….whhaaat…” I start calling the state.
I am worried about my poor garden that was doing so very well! Rain rain go AWAY!
My city police and fire department has a plan from what I have been told from someone at city hall.
Yeah; but what do the plans say?
And how do they plan to implement them? Where are the things needed, if this starts next month?
It’s all in the follow-up questions: That’s when those devilishly interesting details start to show they are preparing to fail, by failing to prepare the public, and that their plans are unworkable; “First, we hand out all the vaccine… then, we have volunteers show up to nurse hundreds of sick and dying”…
Some of the police or fire, asked on the street, if they know anything of the subject, assume if it is deadly, everyone will be home looking after their families, yet they haven’t been told by the bosses to stock up for months of supply disruptions.
Oops! We’re getting thunder now - we sure have extra rain if any state wants to come get it… never seen the birds look so wet and bedraggled; lucky for them I refilled the suet feeders before this started. Might be past time for me to get offline…
Don’t tell me this “8-step checklist”, is just Do You Have:
“Emergency Dispensing sites (where vaccines and medicine could be distributed from)
EDS Plan (Emergency Dispensing sites plan) a plan for distributing medicine and supplies
GO-KIT - a state kit that instructs towns how to develop particular plans”
[Doh! sound of smacking head - this could all have been done last Oct, people, -should have called for a Pandemic Task Force Planning Committee and volunteers, if you don’t have time to deal with it doing your regular health dept jobs; the feds tell the states; you need to make a plan, and states tell the communities; you need to make a plan, and when? -when pandemic’s declared? are the local officials going to tell the public they should have prepared and to go make plans? but- I digress]
“IDEP (Infectious Disease Epidemiology Program) how long towns have been a part of the program which tracks potential communicable diseases and provides education to residents on prevention
RISK COM (Risk Communication) a plan to assess risk and communicate to public
24/7 - a list for reaching essential personnel
COOP (Continuity of Operations Plan) how infrastructure of towns, schools, government and business infrastructure would proceed
MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) if mutual aid between different health/fire/police departments in different towns has been established
W- on the Town Warrant”
(I think they mean the MOU -not Mentioning Pandemic Preparing on the Town Warrant -sure missed an opportunity there.)
and don’t tell me that this is the “plan” that will be ready “by summer” (did they http://www.capecodonline.com/cctimes/capetries12.htm say there would be no penalty for not being finished by June?) and then our health honcho will “tell” the public about? -just that- checklist is done (Except for the COOP part- because, that would have to involve telling the public too much?) Instead of telling them to prepare for pandemic supply chain disruptions?
[How’s Canada’s preparedness going again? No real improvement over the US, eh?]
They have come a long way, when I first called back in November the Town Official asked me twice if I was kidding…I was asking him what our plans for BF were and if they were going to be made public soon.
I just returned from speaking with my town’s public health official. The pandemic plan was surprisingly detailed and thourough. That being said, in the final analysis the message is, “Do for yourself”. Vaccinations and the priority order is completely in the hands of all local health officials, (who was not revealing). So while the state and the feds may have guidelines, they are only that, guidelines.
There are no plans for increases in ventilators and sattelite hospitals will only have capabilities to place iv for fluid. Forget about Tamiflu.
So the message is prep prep prep. All local pandemic operations are just that. Local. There will not be any other aid.
Prep!!!!!
But, has that local official actually been getting the message out to households that pandemic is possible, and, that it would cause school closures and months of disruptions?
They probably were not revealing about vaccine priority because they hope they don’t have to say “not enough for the public for 3 to 5 years”, like Leavitt said, and “no real pandemic strain vaccine until after 6 months” probably, for essential personnel.
Are they actually telling the locals to prep prep prep, and avoid infection, or they might go without and not survive?
I just heard most of a debate of candidates for govenor on the radio last night and I didn’t catch a word about What will you do to educate and prepare MA against the arrival of the current H5N1 strain?, let alone “before/during/after a deadly influenza pandemic?”. How can MA “repair its healthcare roof”? as said on EffectMeasure, how can we become less reliant on imports? Where does our food and fuel come from?
They certainly can get messages out to the public when tptb want to.
Do the citizens understand “there will not be any other aid” and there *is* real possiblity of pandemic occurring in their near future, there is real chance they and theirs could die, directly or indirectly, from a pandemic?
I don’t think so; I think they are going to feel “you didn’t tell us!”, “you kept telling us not to worry”, “you just said its a good idea to be prepared for any emergency; you didn’t say you are referring to a deadly pandemic year, not a local snowstorm, flood, or bomb attack, or temporary power outtage!”
Local officials here are being disingenuous. Perhaps they expect when people are dying they can give orders and tell people to shut up and do what they’re told, and have armed help at their back.
Don’t think their current “plans” are going to work; all essential personnel should be, and public should be stocking up now. The can’t explain it or then people will know and they are very adverse to that; fear of “panic” whatever that is. (The governed withdrawing their consent perhaps?)
The contingency planning isn’t being started as far as I can tell; getting the business, non-profit, faith, school, and other communities together with officials to brainstorm/plan/prepare how to get needs met during an influenza pandemic. -Because they don’t want people to know it could be very worst-case. I think local officials are overwhelmed, and the govenor should have paid each place to have new Pandemic Task Force honchos come in, last Oct.
:-(
I know there have been meetings between health officials and public/private schools, funeral directors, kennels, relevent businesses and some social clubs. Also it has been discussed in the local newspapers.
As far as advice for prepping, they are asking for 7 days for all families.
Is this the best case, no, but it is a start.
I really feel that most people who chose careers in public health really do have a strong commitment to helping saves lives. If the feds would step up there would be a better outcome, but the money is just not there and not comin’ here.
All we can do is spead the word and if things heat up more, people will take notice. I think it is probably in people’s nature to procrastinate.
Any news? Any encouraging words?
Know any more Massachusetts people we can get looking at the Wiki?
Never posted before and just started looking at these forums in the last couple of weeks. Been prepping my whole life but at a much smaller scale until the Oprah show after the first of the year…can’t remember when that was but that is what scared the heck out of me. Have 2 small children ages 1 and 3. I’m in central MA and there has not been a whole heck of a lot discussed about this here.
Have lots of friends and most have to leave the conversation when I start talking about it so I’ve stopped. Too scary for most people to think about but too scary for me to bury my head in the sand. Thought the grocery store would be mobbed the day after the airing of the recent cluster but they weren’t. Never have a problem getting supplies at walmart and home depot always seems to have plenty of masks which worries me, I don’t think anyone is doing much of anything at least not that I can see.
Got my brother-in-law to look at the board. My other brother-in-law works for Mass Grid and says they have a plan in place but doesn’t think it will work. He didn’t say much more than that.
I am really ‘Out on a Limb’ because I can’t keep quiet about this and I’m probably becoming quite the boor….! I am re-evlauating how people process information.
I think we who live in Massachusetts should try to get the message out through the media. See if friends know print or TV/radio people and persuade them. I know some area hospitals are planning and my family has 2 months worth of food and a water filter& bleach but will rely on electricity - the propane won’t last long. Each town should get a committee together and prepare hints for food stockpiling, home care, etc. available either on the web or at the town library. (Actually, not every town has to do this, but having it come from a local source is probably better.) The latest news that the European experts are waking up and that the flu is becoming more attuned to human infection should alert at least some folks. Maybe biology teachers, nurses, doctors, ministers, and some retirees (worrying about grandkids) would be more likely to listen than the larger number of busy folks who don’t have this on their radar screens. The summer period is often one when people slow down a little and it might give them a chance to focus if they see it in print and on TV or even mentioned at church. (It is a religious issue if our neighbors fail because we didn’t warn them.) All we can do is try, discreetly but tenaciously, to warn our neighbors and prepare ourselves. It would be a lot easier if it wasn’t just us though.
INFOMASS - I agree and well said!
i’ve had small success with family/friends - they are looking at this board and prepping. they are also spreading the word. anything we do to spread the circle helps.
during my purchases, i’ve only once witnessed other’s purchasing supplies. i panicked last week & got lots of stuff in-house. i’m getting more worried about the things necessary in mass/suburbia and my lack of heat/security. as a single mom, i’m really concerned about the population density and panic. i’ve been thinking of approaching small local forums (specific neighbors i think may be helpful, mother’s and church groups) but fear exposing my preps.
anyways, i’m prepping but don’t have any answer to how to deal with the people around me.
The local authories were supposed to be getting the “committee together and prepare hints for food stockpiling, home care, etc.” -contingency planning- as far as I understood the federal and state plans, but, the officials are stuck in the twin dead ends; “the public will panic” and “there’s nothing they can do”.
Keep trying to get some websites, or some printed pages, to people in charge or just lots of other people in essential departments and community groups.
I’m not anon around here locally anymore, (and I wish I were) but too many people do not even know we are living in a pandemic alert period, not do they even understand what an influenza pandemic entails. I couldn’t stand myself if I didn’t try and get people the information. But I hate doing this at all -it is just I don’t see the people in charge doing it, or, see them planning to fail.
If papers would just start by running the definitions of seasonal, H5N1, and pandemic influenza, and give a link to the US website, no spin, no “stay calm”, just the 3 types of flu and the website, that would be a start.
Reprinting parts of the speeches Leavitt made at the state summits would help, too. We can’t rely on state or federal rescue or we will be “in a world of hurt”.
Crfullmoon - The secy at my school told me the local authorities were in asking question about how well the Flu Clinic operates when it is open at my school every winter. They told her that they would be giving out BF vaccine the same way they give out the flu shot. She rolled her eyes and told me that procedure was “a mess”, I said “Not to worry, we don’t HAVE a BF vaccine.”
I am interested in finding local preparedness plans on the web. Does anyone have any links to Massachusetts towns that have plans on their webpage?
Thanks
Been following this thread for awhile — I live in a Metrowest suburb, and am responsible for my town’s COG (continuity of government) and COOP (continuity of operations for business) programs. I am also involved in other emergency/pandemic planning for our town emergency agency, and would be happy to try to point you in the right direction for some of your questions… First off: ‘Living in Paradise’: Wellesley (not my town) is in the forefront of preparedness — check out their home page by googling ‘Town of Wellesley’. Sudbury seems also to have a Pandemic committee.
Secondly, and most importantly: CALL YOUR TOWN/CITY HEALTH OFFICER and ask what steps they have taken for emergency preparedness. Then call or contact your other town officials (Board of Selectman, Town planner, etc.) and keep asking them about the status of their plans. Make sure that you mention how far ahead other towns seem to be in the area of emergency planning, and keep the pressure on by printing out other town’s webpages, brochures, etc. to back you up. This worked for our town, and now we are seriously prepping here.
metrowester, I will check out your page. We do have a plan and I have read it and added my comments and sent it back to our emergency management director. I am awaiting his response. We also have information on our Community Emergency Response Site www.pelhamnhcert.org
I would like to see my employers coop plan but he thinks there is nothing that can be done.
Thanks for the info
sorry I meant “the” page
I think we only have a wash-your hands 1-page on our site.
Did Sudbury actually use the P-word on their committee? Good. Ours is coded (and lumped in with?) “emergency preparedness”.
Sudbury Board of Health minutes http://tinyurl.com/omdap
…”Region 4A:
The Health Director discussed the pandemic flu funding that will be provided to the 34 towns involved in Region 4A. $33,000 will be split between the towns”
[ouch!]
“for pandemic flu planning and implementation. This will also include how and when and how vaccine will be stock-piled and dispensed from the national, state and local levels.
Liisa Jackson, Medical Reserve Corps. Coordinator has been hired by the DPH to work with Region 4A in planning town-emergency dispensing and recruiting town volunteers to aid in this process.
The Health Director also discussed the Local Emergency Planning Committee is set to meet on April 25, 2006, where the Health Director will be making a power point presentation on pandemic flu. The power point presentation was shown to Board members.
Board member, Dr. Lynne Geitz discussed having pneumococcal health sheets available to residents at the Senior Health Fair on April 27, 2006.
Board member, Dr. Donald Kern made a suggestion to the Board that it would be favorable to draft regulations for all public buildings to install waterless hand sanitizers in entrances, break-rooms, and rest-rooms in preparation for the up-coming flu season. Dr. Kern explained that a similar regulation has been implemented in New York City and has been met with a positive response”
[What vaccines? And where are they telling their public to get ready? Hm.]
I don’t have more time or internet access today, but, what was that conference in Boston actually doing today?
Also I don’t really need to know exactly where people are just- anyone else in Middlesex county? Any extra lurkers? What can we do or who can we contact to get households and communities preparing?
(Good luck to anyone elsewhere, who may have been having flood troubles. I’m not -only internet troubles.)
My random/intermittant internet is allowing me access this morning.
Wonder what happened yesterday at that 8:30 am - 11:30 am “29th Massachusetts Health Policy Forum …”The Pandemic Threat: Is Massachusetts Prepared?” Dr. Howard Koh from Harvard School of Public Health will lead a distinguished panel, including: Dr. Julie Gerberding, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Paul Cote, Massachusetts Commissioner of Public Health; Representative Peter Koutoujian; and Harold Cox, Chief Public Health Officer, Cambridge Department of Public Health. In addition, Senator Edward M. Kennedy will address the conference by video.”
The Patriot-Ledger had a story about this, cited in the June 9th news thread I think. Dr. Gerberding suggested SIP and social distancing would be important, as anti-virals and vaccines would be scarce or a long time in coming. The amount of suggested food storage is drifting up from a few weeks to a month or two. Perhaps the Globe will have coverage on it this weekend?
That Patriot Ledger article was excellent. maybe that’ll get a few fannies in gear around here. Cousin and I went to BJs this a.m. for ‘more stuff’ She has recently begun prepping in earnest, and is doing very well. Thats one more on board. We don’t talk about this to anyone but that cousin and the one next door, but this morning’s cousin said she has mentioned the subject casually to many people and they are all completely clueless. Ahhh Cape Cod- white picket fence world- nothing will happen- this is the cape. This weather has really slowed down my garden. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
crfullmoon, I’m Middlesex County
I need some help.
Live in City of Boston. Great post the other day by Metrowester describing concretely how to contact town officials about prep plans…but I don’t know what to do in the City as there is No One Person who is the Health Officer, or who would likely return my phone calls.
Folks, I am really alarmed here. I just went back to Boston DPH website to be Sure it hasn’t been changed recently…it hasn’t, well hasnt’ for the better. On the main page there is no button for pandemic alertness or avian flu, but you can click on Avian Flu Awareness PDF. You know what it is about? How Avian flu is of little danger…it rarely effects humans, that so few people have got it despite living amongst so many birds!-it has Never spread beyond one H-H (this written end of May this yr.)and only with really close contact. THe tone is basically “all is safe, all is well, no worries”. IT is one thing not to panic “the public”, but they really seem to have gone overboard with that.
Worst, is that there is no mention of where this current situation (which is kind of underplayed itself) can possibly GO. There is no mention of the possiblity of a pandemic in our future…which is ALARMING AND AMAZING, that it could be this flu, or why. There is no mention of doing ANY PREPARATIONS WHATSOEVER. IT is as if this document is defining the flu in the present tense (well a few months ago, tho Dr. Niman would disagree) only and Ramifications Do Not Exist.
SO, any concerned member of the public in Boston will have his valid nervousness assuaged…and will be less likely to prepare. As mentioned elsewhere, city folk have less means (space, home ownership, land for cultivation,trees for firewood…indoor fireplaces, woodstoves…or even the ability to store gas,propane or kerosene outdoors without it being stolen) and ease to prep anyway. IT is virtually criminal in my mind.
IS ANYONE ELSE IN BOSTON PREPPING BESIDES ME?
And for me personally, it means that if I try to prepare my neighbors or my community as I have begun to try, it will be an uphill battle. On a more selfish level, it probably means so few people will adequately prepped around here that I will have to SIP alone which isn’t so safe. (my close friends in the suburbs won’t prep beyond a few days despite my efforts…how can I SIP with a unprepped and starving family of four—I can’t afford to prep for them!?)
To be honest, I felt a personally threatened in learning the lack of content on that site and what it might mean for me. It reminded me how I felt after Katrina and seening how well the government there planned for and cared for the citizens of New Orleans. All over the fluwiki we are warned not to stay in ths city. I don’t see an option for myself at least for the first wave, and worry about my safety in SIP let alone getting sick!
ANyway, does anyone know how and or WHO I should talk to and WHERE to get this city to really talk about how individuals and familys should be preparing. Again believe it or not there is no advise to prepare at all for avian flu itself. just amazing (shakes head)
my first post after a few months of lurking…usually I am not so dower (?sp.) just feeling kind of defeated by what I saw on that website, or rather didn’t see. Finally moved to write.
J planner
We know how you feel. It’s not just Boston where community leadership is wearing blinders, and of course- the citizens in general. I believe it is the general feeling in Ma. that everything is wonderful, the government will take care of us- don’t worry, be happy. There is litle you can do at this point- except that maybe copy that article in the ledger and discreetly distribute copies to your neighbors.Maybe put it up on the community pin board. Last night husband and I had a thought about putting that article together with copies of the sale flyers with good prep items on sale circled, in peoples newspaper boxes.(can’t use US mail boxes- that’s illegal) Oh and all here in MA - BJs has the best price anywhere I’ve seen on the big box of Carnation powdered milk- almost 1/2 what the big supermarket chains are charging for their house brand.
Hi Calico - nice to know there’s other Flu Wiki people in the county! (Lurkers -come on in!)
jplanner, right now the secrey and denial by local officials is scaring me more than H5N1.
We can’t do anything about mutations in other countries, but they’ve had months of warning and seem to want to just let the public go unprepared. Yes, it would disrupt normal life and normal economy if people started getting concerned and changing priorities, but I doubt they’d reach and convince everyone if they tried -certainly not all at once would start prepping either, but the questions and complaints and reactions would start and I guess local officials don’t want to deal with it. There are many questions with no good answers, (and I don’t see the big deal about saying so) but that local communites need to be planning to cope on their own takes a lot of household planning, and then, group brainstorming how to take care of others currently needing care.
It would take leadership; reminding people of values like thrift, economy, self-reliance, getting educated about biosecurity and health care, telling people that if it happens influenza pandemic will be bad and that if we work together to solve problems more will survive. This whole ‘infectious-without-treatment-or-cure’ throws a wrench into all the other sorts of “emergency” planning officials keep thinking they can adapt to pandemic without cluing in the public. They will lose credibility and trust when the public finds out there are no vaccines to distribute, when vaccine distribution has been mentioned over and over again when any mention of planning is made. There is still time for the public to keep deeper pantries -there won’t be enough on the shelves once pandemic starts.
Does anyone think we could get local libraries to allow displays about H5N1, and the WHO “10 (9?) things you need to know about pandemic influenza” (from last Oct), and the federal website and checklists, and the line from the state that the virus is only part of the problem and contingency planning for supply and other disruptions must be done? Small handouts with links to websites, including the feds, Flu Wiki, ect? That Wiki preparedness flyer with the winged clock? Do libraries insist those things are scheduled months in advance, or need permission from the board of trustees (or will the local health/emergency depts freak if there was such a public educational display)?
Look what I found: March 2006, http://tinyurl.com/nhsrv “The Massachusetts Department of Public Health and The Local Public Health Institute of Massachusetts March 2006 Be Prepared for Pandemic Flu: Key Tools for Local Public Health”
(Though of course they are using ‘enron math’ to get their projected case numbers and deaths- there is no mention of worse-than-1918, and no real mention of 1918, only “1918-like” which means they picked really low numbers, not some of the higher 1918 numbers areas had. Also, the great big important piece of “Plans to meet the needs of people confined to their homes” seems to be going undone locally; all the “stakeholders” that have fed checklists with their name on them should have them in their hands and be having brainstorming meetings with officials and the public. Maybe broken down into topics like the Wiki does; start with social distancing, Power, Water, Food, communicating with the public/homebound, home nursing, what happens with the bodies, ect.)
Any county-level people we could call? Or would writing to the MDPH online do any good? Ask what their plans are to educate the public? To stockpile and rotate imports places would need to keep running during and after a pandemic? To allow more categories of people to pronounce death and fill out death certificates? I’m tired of gambling that H5N1 won’t mutate and get on a plane and be here unexpectedly some week, with the public still as they are now.
jplanner, the very poor reception I got from someone living in Boston has made me reluctant to try and get the others I know there to take pandemic seriously, but there would really need to be community- or building-level discussions and households getting in better shape. (The local police out here are also very uneasy at the thought of Boston being “evacuated” to the suburbs for any reason- we have nowhere to put people and no supplies ready, either.) Pandemic planning block parties, or at least flyers in grocery bags (someplace in Iowa is doing that?) explaining the differences between seasonal, H5N1, and Pandemic Influenza would help.
jplanner, right now the secrey and denial by local officials is scaring me more than H5N1.
crfullmoon, have you ever heard the expression, “You can’t prove a negative”? Well, you can’t prove much of anything with a negative, either…so why assume that there must be some kind of local government conspiracy of “secrey[sic] and denial” merely because they’re not broadcasting your message? Does it really help the situation to promote the view that our local officials are trying to mess us up?
Most local governments are under-resourced or over-bureaucratized, sometimes both. You land one more problem on a local official’s desk and they don’t do something about it in your time frame: guess what? They’ve got a lot of things landing on their desk, often so many things there already that they don’t have the time to look at the inbox and the time to judge how serious it all is. As a f’rinstance, the city of Boston right now has a massive problem with a suddenly soaring murder rate and gun violence that is getting worse every day. If you’ve got people dropping dead daily of gunshot wounds, and people on your doorstep screaming at you to do something about it, are you going to deal with that situation or are you going to say, “I’m sorry, that doesn’t matter, bird flu is what really matters”?
My local community is on the other end of the spectrum. It’s a small rural community. It has about four doctors and no hospital. When my local officials get the “you’re on your own” message, they can’t just rush off and formulate a plan — they have to try and figure out things like, okay…will people from our community be able to get any definitive medical care? I don’t think I really want them making statements in advance of having figured some of that out, and they don’t have what they need to do that yet.
In summary, I note that jplanner had looked at a website but hadn’t made any effort to actually contact anyone in City Hall. That, it seems to me, is scanty investigation to conclude that nobody’s doing anything or thinking about the problem. For your part, I would think you should be getting involved in your own local government before concluding that they are engaging in “secrey[sic] and denial”. There are too many awfulizers on fluwiki — don’t you be one of them, too.
Crfullmoon - You know, I am still shaken by the news that “the Reveres” are not prepping and that Melanie is prepping for a weather event. I can’t tell you how stupid I felt when I thought of all the people I have told in my community and my workplace. I have been studying the science of this virus , but I am know where near being able to make an educated guess on what is going to happen…I need the informed scientist who understand this thing, so I continue to read the threads , but I am going to be a little more cautious about being the “town crier” or the “Bird Flu lady”. I think I’ll talk up Katrina and how the people were not prepared and since we live on a coast it might be smart to prep some water and food.
I know you are big on community prep, as am I, but I need to “lick my wounds” for a while.
Oops! “…no where near…”
It is encouraging to hear your committment to emergency preparedness, and I understand your frustration about the complacency of local govt, etc. You all seem so ready to jump in to help, and I have a suggestion (I am in the emergency prep field): CALL or email your local Health officer, AND all the Board of Health members (their names are public knowledge), and ask if you can ‘contribute to the town’s shelter-at-home effort’ by being a volunteer presenter, educator or coordinator. I would also cc your town manager, planner and selectmen, to make them understand that citizens want to get involved.
The shelter-at-home program is a good fit for volunteers, as there are no liabilitiy issues. Also, call your community paper and speak to your local reporter about the lack of (or great development of) your town’s shelter in place program. I know, all the community papers are owned by the same corp. around here.
I am also in Middlesex County!
I have been contacting my local officials, since last Oct. (I also send emails, that get no responses.) It seems as if there is a concerted effort to not clue in the public “yet” -or perhaps never until it actually breaks out. Over and over I hear, “the public will panic/there’s nothing we/they can do”. The word Pandemic wasn’t even used for months, and the committee working on it, under the public radar, does not have even have the word in its title.
Last Oct. the health dept. response was: Since there is no vaccine there is nothing to do and no use telling the public anything. Pandemic probably won’t even happen -look at the swine flu scare.
Dec; More seemed to get that pandemic was a real danger -deer in the headlights look- and it might be so bad that “there’s nothing we can do”.
Feb; the local and state elected officals I called to ask if they were attending the State Pandemic Summit had not even known we were having one and had not seen the federal pandemic website.
Two months later; nothing said in the Town Meeting Warrant despite us knowing months ago that our community cannot count on fed nor state help with pandemic.
Anyone who’s been officially briefed and would be in a position of authority to seems committed to not telling the public. I have heard concerns about keeping their jobs, as to why they are not speaking out.
Any others who get told, say I should really go tell someone else, who might do something about it (because it is not mentioned in their job description and they don’t seem to get yet that this is an issue that would impact them and their family personally if it occurs).
School dept knows that schools have to be closed to be turned into Emergency “Distribution” Sites, but school families are not being informed about pandemic. Nothing is allowed to be put into the newsletters about it, not even to look at the federal website that has been up since last 0ct. The public is not discussing how to protect their families and keep their kids educated, and they would be if they knew.
Here and there people are trying to prepare, on their own, and just not telling anyone about it. I wish they all could approach the officials and say, we know and we didn’t “panic”; let’s get started on public community contingency planning.
Coding everything under general “Emergency” isn’t telling the public. Sending out “emergency” contact/medical forms but not using the ones from the fed pandemic website, giving contradictory advice about needing food and water and meds for a couple of days or a couple of weeks, when they know how much longer quarantines or pandemic waves may last, talking about all the volunteers they have -that didn’t volunteer for a pandemic, is more than disingenuous.
We should be publically planning how the community is going to cope with people getting sick, since the non-vaccine parts of the problem are going to exist regardless. Just because they don’t have all the answers and don’t have a solution is no reason to keep quiet about it; honesty and engaging the public in meeting a challenge and stocking some now when supply chains work would be better than waiting until a state of emergency to tell the public what they have to do.
I wouldn’t feel like this if when I approached first responders or medical personnel and ask, Have you been told about pandemic, have you seen the federal website, have you been told to stock up your households in case of quarantine or supply chain disruptions? they would say “Yes” instead of “No”.
Some memos, and some “surge” warnings, or, leaving the people who *do* hear the plans privately feeling like everything will fall apart by the end of a week do not reassure me.
Tell the public what steps are being taken - and I don’t mean buying a $30K ventilator, when I don’t hear how it will have power, how it will be staffed, what will everyone else be doing for food and Rx meds? It is hard to ask for money to prepare for pandemic when they don’t want the public to know yet. Will hospital personnel and first responders and cemetery workers show up if no one bought them PPE? If their families weren’t told to prepare?
If officals are overwhelmed at the scope, they should ask for help from the public; I don’t see how they can cope with something on this scale without getting the business community, the faith communities and non-profits, the parents and college students, the skilled retired, brainstorming about this.
Quote from Nov 2005 …”the details released… stressed major steps that state and local authorities must begin taking now:
update quarantine laws; work with utilities to keep the phones working and grocers to keep supplying food amid the certain panic; determine when to close schools and limit public gatherings, such as movies or religious services.”…
…”Lawmakers also grilled Leavitt, who appeared before House and Senate health appropriations panels, on why it took the administration more than a year to issue its plan.
“Could we have acted sooner to avoid the situation we are in now, in effect running for cover?” asked Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa.”…
Ugh. I’m posting too long. (Been looking at this issue for years and am very crispy around the edges.)
Seacoast, not everyone has the same priorities when faced with an influenza pandemic; I wouldn’t know what the reveres and Melanie have exactly done, nor what sort of neighborhoods they live in, how old they are, what their priorities are, ect. Some people are planning to go respond to their posts and don’t expect to make it, some others may have family commitments that come first, or other may think we may still have time before pandemic, or a good chance of not contracting the virus; everyone is different and we can’t go by others’ choices.
The points they make that our health infrastructure is not really up to current conditions and needs attention, as do our communities and our connections with people and taking more responsibility for our future are valid and we need to get ready for a pandemic or many other things the public certainly isn’t in good shape for.
Hi, metrowester! That set of papers sure hasn’t said much about pandemic preparedness has it? I can try again, by phone this time.
Concord has a good program and website, which I think builds on their y2k community preparations.
I agree with you, lbb. Why assume officials are all morons? I know for a fact that our town has an extensive plan, but it is not on the town’s website. However, jplanner, I have found for you several pages from Boston Dept. of Public Health’s website addressing a possible pandemic. Some of these have been prepared last October. Judging from the detailed plans that my town has, I can only conclude that Boston is very high up on the curve.
Start here:
Main page for BDPH
http://www.bphc.org/default.asp
Take a look at a avian flu fact sheet: http://www.bphc.org/bphc/pdfs/cdc_pandemicflu.pdf
Give a call: http://www.bphc.org/contact/default.asp
Also you may want to check out some of the Massachusetts Pandemic Plans http://www.mass.gov/dph/cdc/epii/flu/statepln.pdf
I really feel lucky that I live in Massachusetts. We really do have a great medical community (tops in the world) and I know that many people across the state have put in so much time, energy and effort into preparation. Will it be enough? Who can say. Can we do better? Of course, as better information and understanding of the disease is available it should be incorporated into all plans. Revise, rethink and be open. If we have a pandemic I really think that the overwhelming nature of the situation will put some major curve balls into the plans. I do think it is a bit arrogant to think that only people at fluwikie have a clue about what is happening, and health professionals are all incompetent. Public Heath pros don’t go in it for the money. It really is a calling.
hi Calico; I’d love to learn about another community that is more advanced in it’s pandemic planning. Can you will us in a bit on Concord’s pandemic planning? Who is the leader in planning? Thanks
lbb 9:12: “I note that jplanner…hadn’t made any effort to contact anyone at cityhall…that seems to be scanty info to conclude that no one is doing anything or thinking about the problem..”
I do not conclude that. I expressed at alarm at what is on the website.
I have dealt with Boston City Hall before. You go round and round endlessly if you don’t know who to talk to, a name, or at least a department. I have undergone two such rounds trying to figure out who at the DPH should talk to me about this, to no avail
Please don’t make assumptions that I am lazy, etc and am just complaining. If you read my post carefully you’d see I wrote because I am concerned to the point of being upset about this. I am very vulnerable, I live alone in an apartment and do not have family. My situation if TSHTF is frankly more precarious than some of you with houses living in a less dangerous area. WHat it means to me then that Boston is not preparing (the rest of) it’s residents as seen on the website left me a sinking feeling of dread. Please have some compassion.
I was writing to ask if Someone out there had any idea who I should call, and was asking if anyone in Boston besides me was prepping. ANd letting you all know the alarming state of the city of Boston official website, as it is the main city in the area of interest to most people on this thread I would think. thanks Belarusmama for the links…I have been to the main page and what I was quoting was the avian flu fact page which is new as of May and spoke nothing of the possibility of pandemic or of prepping. I’ll check out yours…I guess they aren’t linked in a conspicuous place so JoeQ publc can see where to go easily…the only link from the DPH homepage I saw was the avian flu one I discussed above which doens’t talk about planning or pandemic risk. (or I am lame about finding such things unlike you! ;)
I just would like if Boston were as prepared as, say, Concord. As someone mentioned, what happens in Boston, good or ill, if this hits us will effect the entire region.
I just notice CRfullmoon also found a link for city of boston. Maybe I’m just bad at finding where to go on websites! Metrowester: It’s great to have your input here as one in the emergency prep field, and you have given some good and very specific advice to those residing in towns on who to contact/how to proceed in preparing community for possible pandemic. I am wondering if you have any input on how to procede and who to contact in the City of Boston, as it seems like that advise wouldn’t apply for us here. (I have called around BDPL to no avail). thanks
Hey, jplanner, sorry if it sounded like I was harshing on you. I suppose I was influenced by the fact that there are, indeed, a lot of awfulizers on fluwiki who seem more interested in cursing the darkness than in lighting a candle — and cursing government darkness, well, that’s practically a competitive sport here ;-)
I lived in Boston — not “the Boston area”, Boston — for twelve years and am quite familiar with the City of Boston bureaucracy. In my experience, there is someone in City Hall who owns your problem and at least partly understands it, but finding them can take some work and a lot of persistence. The #1 skill in such searches is patiently, politely not going away. When dealing with someone who has just explained to you how this is not their problem, conclude always with, “I understand that it’s not your problem; now, tell me where I go to get my problem solved.” When they send you somewhere you’ve already been, you tell them that you’ve already tried that and you need another answer. It works.
I’ll kick the question back at you a bit: what would you want the City of Boston to do? Or, for anyone else, what would you want your city or town to do? They can’t stockpile vaccine because as hard as it is for some to grasp this basic fact, there is no vaccine as yet. What is it that you want them to do?
Thanks First thing I’d want is that when someone went to BDPH website, the homepage would have a big fat link to possible pandemic and how to plan. I haven’t had a chance to check since links were suggested, but they weren’t on the homepage as far as I could see. I just would want any average city dweller to immediately see where to go. I am a persistant person but not with a ton of computer experience (but more than alot of low income sort of people in the city probably for example), but I do have some basic awareness enough that if it isn’t obvious to me it won’t be obvious to alot of people.
I have to read the documents before deciding on their content.
I would want the city to tell people that the Federal Government has left it up to localities to prep. ANd what Boston is doing to prep is XXX. so anything additonal must come from individuals and their families. I would want them to tell the truth that there WILL be a pandemic, we just don’t know when or how bad. But given the nature of the current supply chain, even a few days of breakdown could turn the system upside down so everyone should be prepared. Moreover in the case of a pandemich SIP is the best option….at minimum 2 wks prep, with some experts saying three months. I would say that although it isn’t necessarily likely, we prepare ourselves for many risks that are less likely…homeowners insurance, extra collision on our car insurance…even our strict enforcement of making our kids wear their byccyle helmets tho we never did and were FINE. I’d want them to explain it as like it was insurance policy…thats how I explain it to my friends. It’s a way not to scare people but it makes sense.
thanks for apologies, no offence taking. I am tired tho, going to bed up all nite, silly me
ps-I think I presumed as being in boston 2 miles from Harvard school of public health the med school and all the hospitals that planning here was ahead of the curve so seeing how the website was set up, or not seeing what I would expect (Please go read that document on avian flu, it is the only link on the subject and is devoid of any pandemic reference or of planning…no pandamic flu link on homepage. shocking…not even up to par with what’s covered in mainstream media I thought)
I posted a copy of an email I received from a Boston city offical about pandemic planning early this spring. It was under another thread. I will try and find it.
I think the City has made an effort with its emergency planning mailings and web sites, but like Katrina, there are many people in and around the city that do not have the ability to plan for this week, let alone a pandemic. The infrastructure is so tenuous that my worry is that many people will have nothing in place and will be a threat to those of us who do. I have stored my preps outside the city for just this reason. I cannot imagine what the city will look like without three day a week garbage pick up and no food arriving….
owl- would love to see that email, and also hear about what you know about the city’s planning. I haven’t seen any mailings or other kind of outreach myself. When you say websites do you mean the ones sited above? It’s relatively simple to have links on a homepage front center, obvious, and I couldn’t even find that. So if they are preparing I will try to find the person to tell that to…may have some yardage with little effort. I agree with your worries about people’s inability to plan. I live in a low income community…heck that even applies to me…I am pretty sure that most people could have a month of beans and rice with little trouble if they were to have that mindset. They would need to be nugged toward that mindset. As an individual doing the nudging without it being obvious that the PTB agree, I am just one crazy person whos just alarmist. If their teenager goes to the DPH website and sees a large link “pandemic planning” in Spanish and English…at least I feel backed up and that our government Isn’t Giving Up On Us (us as the residents of boston) I am pretty well prepped myself…did you store your preps at friends or at storage places, Owl? I have opportunity to store at friends outside the city, but worry won’t be able to get to it if TSHTHF..quarantine, or traffic, or gas shortage.
anon at 21:15 - I don’t live in Concord so I don’t know the players. Take a look at their website:
http://www.concordnet.org/dplm/BOH/BOH%20flyer%20birdflu.pdf
Also, the Concord Neighborhood Network: http://www.concordnn.org/
I was rather envious of the effort during y2k, and it was community enough based that during one of the worst blizzards we ever had, not long after that, they were in a position to react to it.
Jplanner, will look for my email from the city. I put my preps at my ex husbands who bought a big house outside of the city. I think given what we have seen with other countries, by the time things were near quarantine, those of us on Fluwiki would be well aware of what was about to happen. Just my sense, given how much we know before the rest of the planet catches on, usually two days later….
Here is the link and information that you want: http://www.mass.gov/dph/topics/bioterrorism/bt.htm
standingfirm,
i’m listening.
and am in W.MA! at some point in the near future, when most of the larger of prep efforts are behind me, i do plan to volunteer somehow in communicating this risk, and the need to prep, to the general public. in many ways i’m doing this now.
(thanks Calico for the handy link!)
as an MPH student, i managed to slide in for two separate pandemic preparedness conferences this spring at nearby colleges. i left both feeling more confident that some very capable, concerned, intelligent, and courageous people really are giving this their attention. emergency responders, some who had been flown-in for Katrina etc, health-care providers, homeland security, fire dept, etc. everyone present clearly perceived this to be a very real potentiality, worthy of serious preperation and clear, informative communication efforts geared toward the public.
oto, the internship i’d hoped to work with over the summer for pan-prep didn’t “pan”-out ; ) after all, for lack of funding. i’d even told them i would be willing to work with this in the absence of any pay. it’s unfortunate PH (and the preventative approach in general) isn’t as well-funded as it should/could be. relatively speaking, however, MA PH is one of the best systems in the country, at least this appears to be the concensus.
so…we really are very fortunate to live here.
Posie, please keep us updated on the state program.
i’ll check through my notes later, Calico, see if i have anything to offer. meanwhile, maybe contact Donna.Lazorik@state.ma.us to be placed on a mailing list which will inform for upcoming MA conference dates.
it’s doubtful i’ll be making it to this one, but perhaps some of you might:
Reminder: The next meeting the MA State/Local Pandemic planning Committee is:
Wednesday, June 21, 10:00 - 11:30
State Lab, Jamaica Plain
The State Lab is right up the hill from the Forest Hills station on the Orange Line.
Directions to the State Lab: http://www.mass.gov/dph/bls/dir/fromall.htm <http://www.mass.gov/dph/bls/dir/fromall.htm> . There is some reserved parking at the Legion Hall across for the State lab.
Please see the attached tentative agenda.
State Laboratory Institute, Jamaica Plain
Agenda
• Announcements • Flu vaccine availability for 2006 - 2007 • Update on avian influenza • Regional Pandemic Summits and Next Steps • Flu Pandemic Public Participation Project
Announcements:
2006 State/Local Pandemic planning Committee meetings: September 13, 2006, 10:00 – 11:30, Western Regional Health Office, Northampton December 6, 2006, 10:00 – 11:30, State Lab, Jamaica Plain
Upcoming events: May 1, 2007 MA Adult Immunization Conference, Worcester
Donna Lazorik, RN, MS
Adult Immunization Coordinator
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
617–983–6821
MDPH Flu Website: <http://www.mass.gov/dph/flu> www.mass.gov/dph/flu
Hello Mass folks did anyone read the article on Canada has bf in geese. Go to the rose havaina site.Prince Edwards Island is close to the northeast.
Well, we’re close enough to the East Atlantic flyway; comes from the entire coast of West Africa, so, it won’t be a surprise when H5N1 gets here, but, don’t know how much they are looking for it.
Hi all, have been down without internet access for almost a week. Still having trouble getting online but lucky this AM. I will try to make it to public health conference this Wednesday (may have another appt.). If you look at my name, you’ll guess how close I live to the State Lab (ridiculously close, ie)! Will report if I go.
hi JPLanner, Would like to go to Wed. meeting at MDPH in JP, as their agenda looks interesting. Do you have to preregister, or just come as a representative of your MDPH region (i.e. region 4a, 4b, 4c, etc.).
To be honest I am total layperson so I have no idea, am kind of embarraced was maybe going to show up and see if it was an open meeting. Some allow “concerned local citizens’ etc. I have done that before but not with DPH. You sound like a professional in the field, no? I may have another appointment, am working to move it.
Posie are you out there? Do you know if we can just show up as concerned citizens to the meeting in JP (MA/Local pandemic planning committee) on Wed AM? That’s how I read your email, now an thinking it’s a more formal thing and perhaps you are a professional in PH field and it’s open only to professionals. I guess I might call that woman Donna Lazoric to find out, I hope that is appropriate. Will post if I find info…can you do that also epi gal?
FYI - The minutes from our district teacher’s meeting had an interesting report from the MTA (Mass. Teachers Assoc) ‘The MTA is concerned about an avian flu pandemic and its potential ramifications for schools’.
Massachusetts Teachers’ Association has an info page with links.
(The federal pandemic checklist for schools has been out for months.)
jplanner, maybe you can go anyway - “Flu Pandemic Public Participation Project” has to involve the public at some point, right? Do you have Verizon for internet? I am having internet problems, too. (At least the library has air conditioning.)
New England Summit on Business Preparedness for the Avian Flu Set for June 26
Date: Monday, June 26, 2006
8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Venue: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
401 Park Drive, 4th Floor, Landmark Center, Boston, Mass. 02215
…Presenting at the summit will be senior officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Centers for Disease Control and regional businesses…
Don’t know if this is open to the public but I thought some of you MA preppers might be interested…
Thanks, banshee. I look forward to these articles so I can harass my company’s administrators, LOL.
The Mass Teachers Association web page has no new information as far as I can see. They just have links regarding avian flu. I would like to see just what their plan is.
Also, I work in mass and I will tell you pandemic planning is a joke here.
I didn’t end up going to dph pandemic planning meeting, had other stuff I couldn’t move ;( crfullmoon:I don’t have verizon, I have good ol fashion dial up with Juno, my laptop convinced itself somehow it didn’t have a modem, luckily I have a savvy friend fixing it. I hear dialup will be better bet if TSHTF anyway, not that I have it for that reason.
Verizon quits working for me all the time - I’ll be looking into alternatives, and, asking about their pandemic COOP preparations! (Library again, but I can’t stay long.)
Birdie Kate, I just hope all these unprepared communities don’t get blindsided by an outbreak/quarantine. I don’t share the “slow” approach (or will authorities only take the public service announcements “out of the can” when pandemic is occurring? Keep feeling like that is gambling with too many lives.) Wish it was politically popular to be more proactive.
New England Summit on Business Preparedness for the Avian Flu Set for June 26
I wish I could go, but am preparing an emergency tabletop exercise for the next day (I’m in Public Health). Pre-registration is required: you can give it a try. From their website:
“There is no cost to attend the summit but reservations are required. Please RSVP to the New England Council by email: aflynn@newenglandcouncil.com. “
If it’s sold out, I would put on a business suit, take a briefcase and just show up. Look like you belong there. Please attend and post any info that you gather, especially predictins for pan flu statistical impact on Massachusetts. Thanks.
From today’s Globe (http://tinyurl.com/ggsxl):
“State to begin testing birds for avian flu…
“Massachusetts will start sampling wild birds this week for the deadly strain of avian flu known as H5N1. The state, which has sampled commercial birds for other strains of bird flu for decades, will be collecting up to 400 samples targeting resident Canada geese, migrating mallards, long tail ducks, and common eiders.”
bumpsee
My “partner in crime” (one of the principles of my company, LOL) passed along the email I sent him and a couple others earlier this week about the New England business summit. He’s helping me keep the compost stirred about the need for some business continuity planning here. I’d be ignored, but I make sure he is part of the email loop. Thanks to everyone for continuing to give me stuff worth passing on! I’m hopeful my company is close to taking this seriously. As far as my personal wellbeing, I continue to believe that the policies and procedures my company adopts on this will have far more benefits than anything my local, state or federal government could do, given I’m in pretty good shape in my own household.
I would really love to go to the summit, but I’m swamped on Monday and my main tie into one of the sponsoring groups is on vacation at the moment. If someone from my company does go, I do hope the issues are softpedalled. That could be worse than not attending at all.
I’ve just heard that MDPH notified all local health officers about a new state DPH telephone hot-line for residents to call if they see ‘more than 3 birds together that appear sick’. Have you heard about this yet?
I don’t see anything on DPH’s website yet.
Did anyone make it to yesterday’s seminar?
Mass Wildlife 1–508–792–7270 the above number is to report 3 or more dead fowl or birds found together in one spot.
jplanner, sorry, am just now noticing your post to this thread. the last PH pandemic conference i attended at the University…i simply registered online, as a student of PH and was not in any way invited. no one has the time to check any claim. (of course, i really am a student of PH.) there was no cost (and there were snacks). when i arrived they had a name-tag all printed-out for me and had designated me to the PH break-out group.
i’m noticing the 6/21 conference came and went already. i do hope you made it. if not, there’s another in Sept in Northampton (*great* little arts city. definitely worth the trip!). i’m thinking anyone interested would be more than welcome to attend as there really is this understanding among PH professionals that the information urgently needs reach the general public.
i will tell you this conference i attended in the spring was well worth its time. great to be a fly on the wall for all the planning efforts involved with this potentiality.
I have attached the minutes from the June 21 meeting of the MA State/Local Pandemic Planning Committee. The next meeting will be: September 13, 2006, 10:00 - 11:30 Western Regional Health Office, Northampton
Directions: http://www.mass.gov/dph/about/directions/wrhodir.htm <http://www.mass.gov/dph/about/directions/wrhodir.htm>
Save the Date: Oct 5, 2006 Annual meeting of the Massachusetts Public Health Association Keynote: Alfred Crosby, America’s Forgotten Pandemic: The Influenza of 1918
Donna Lazorik, RN, MS Adult Immunization Coordinator Massachusetts Department of Public Health 617–983–6821
MDPH Flu Website: <http://www.mass.gov/dph/flu> www.mass.gov/dph/flu
Massachusetts Department of Public Health Massachusetts State/Local Pandemic Planning Committee June 21, 2006 State Laboratory Institute, Jamaica Plain Minutes
Facilitator: Donna Lazorik, MDPH. Present: Susan Campbell, HVMA; Jennifer Coyle, Catalyst Consulting; Richard Fleming, HVMA; Vanessa Kenealy, MMS; Sheryl Knutsen, MassPRO; David Lee, USPS; Barbara Manning, CMS; Tara McCarthy, BPHC; Liz Pujolas, MedImmune; Mary Sabolsi, Faulkner Hospital; Frank Singleton, Lowell HD; Amy Smith, BPHC; Kathy Atkinson, MDPH; Sally Cheney, MDPH BCDC; Lisa Gurland, MDPH Behavioral Health; Allison Hackbarth, MDPH; Glynnis LaRosa, MDPH; Bob Morrison, MDPH Vaccine Unit; Alissa Scharf, MDPH CEP; Stephanie Schauer, MDPH; Kanchan Sehgal, MDPH; Kathleen Shattuck, MDPH; Gail Toti, MDPH; Theodora Wohler, MDPH.
Influenza Vaccine Supply: For the 2006 - 2007 flu season, MDPH has orders in place through the CDC contract using VFC funds for 145,100 doses of which 57,800 are the pediatric (0.25ml) formulation. On the state contract with sanofi pasteur, MDPH has placeholder orders for 560,000 doses in 10-dose vials and 50,000 doses of the pediatric (0.25ml) formulation in pre-filled syringes. In addition, there is an order for 5,000 doses of Chiron’s preservative-free formulation to be made available for pregnant women. All orders on the state contract are placeholder orders until the state budget is finalized.
Influenza Activity: The 2005 – 2006 was notable for being a very late season, with a peak in March and cases into May. It was also notable for the fact that a high proportion of the circulating influenza A (H3N2) viruses in the United States had developed resistance to adamantine and rimantadine. In January 2006, the CDC issued an interim recommendation that neither amantadine nor rimantadine be used for the treatment or prophylaxis of influenza A in the United States for the remainder of the 2005–06 influenza season. Visit the MDPH Flu Surveillance Website for updated information on influenza activity and guidance on influenza testing, reporting and control: http://www.mass.gov/dph/cdc/epii/flu/flusur.htm.
Avian Flu Update: Since December 2003, a total of 228 human cases of H5N1 have been reported to WHO from 10 countries (Azerbaijan, Cambodia, China, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam); 130 (57%) have died. H5N1 is widespread in wild birds and domestic poultry in Asia, and parts of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. The Massachusetts Division of Wildlife and Fisheries will start sampling wild birds this week for H5N1. The state will be collecting up to 400 samples, targeting resident Canada geese, migrating mallards, long tail ducks, and common eiders. The state also plans to respond to calls from residents about three or more waterfowl and shorebirds sick and dying in the same location. The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources has been testing domestic poultry for different strains of avian influenza since 1983 and works with the USDA to track 25,000 to 35,000 commercial birds a year. An MDPH fact sheet, Frequently Asked Questions about Avian Flu, can be found at http://www.mass.gov/dph/cdc/epii/flu/avian_flu_faq.pdf. Updated information on avian flu can be found at the CDC website: www.cdc.gov/flu/avian. Regional Pandemic Summits: MDPH held a series of Regional Pandemic Summits to bring in those stakeholders who have not been as actively involved in pandemic preparedness activities at the state and community levels. The summits were very well received and participants were charged with coordinating their pandemic planning efforts with others in their communities. Over the next few months, MDPH will conducting a number of preparedness exercises around the state.
MA System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals (MSAR): MSAR is a database of pre-credentialed health care professionals who have agreed to volunteer their services in event of a public health emergency. For more information, go to: http://www.mhalink.org/public/Disaster/advisories/2006/prep-2006-04-6.pdf
Funding for Pandemic Preparedness: Massachusetts has received $2 million in federal funds for pandemic preparedness. The largest proportion of that funding is being used to support the establishments of volunteer Medcial Reserve Corps around the state. A second round of federal funding for pandemic preparedness is expected to total $5million for Massachusetts. In addition, the Massachusetts legislature is expected to act soon on House Bill 4689: An Act Making Appropriations for the Fiscal Year 2006 to provide $36.5 million in funding to support pandemic preparation and response in the Commonwealth. This bill includes a $1.5 million earmark to hire regional pandemic planners under the authority of the local emergency preparedness coalition.
Pandemic Preparedness Training: Over 600 people attended 16 sessions of the “Be Prepared for Pandemic Flu: Key Tools For Local Public Health” training program, presented by MDPH and the Local Public Health Institute. The primary audience was local board of health staff and members. In addition to this program, MDPH has responded to aver 100 requests for presentations on avian influenza/pandemic planning from diverse groups around the state. To meet the need for pandemic education and training, MDPH is considering a train-the-trainer program for local public health, the Massachusetts Infectious Disease Society and Medical Reserve Corp volunteers.
Pandemic Public Participation Project: Jennifer Coyle, from Catalyst Consulting, gave a presentation on the Massachusetts Pandemic Public Participation Project. The first meeting with Massachusetts residents was held in September 2005; a second meeting was held with Lowell residents in April and focused on alternative care sites, altered standards of care and home care. The next session will be held in Cambridge and will focus on special populations. MDPH will be working with local communities to host additional pandemic public participation meetings around the state. If you would like a copy of the report of the Lowell Pandemic Public Participation Project, please contact Jennifer Coyle at jcoyle@catalyst-consulting.net.
Posie, great stuff — keep it coming!
I’m going to speak to my local board of health and if she (it’s pretty much a “board” of one) doesn’t want to or can’t go to the Northampton event, I may try to get her to tap me to go in her stead. I’ve got as much clue on the medical side and a lot more experience in doing trainings and presentations, so…
you should! like i said, i registered for the last conference online and felt totally welcomed there. i don’t think they’re keeping things closed in any way, it’s just not being publicly announced.
the conference i attended in early May was better than any movie i’d seen in a long time. you know what i mean? it was awesome to be inside what’s really being done for this. i don’t know about other states, but, and despite considerations we may have of population, climate etc, i still feel very grateful to be living in this state. some very brave and competent people are indeed thinking and planning for this potentiality.
i’m also trying to fit into my schedule right now a project with the Board of Health and panflu prep for internship hours. should i find the time to take this on, i’ll post re those projects. pandemic or no (and i honestly hope no despite the difficulty of living on the edge of possibility of/with this), emergency preparedness and the ability of communities to be resilient in facing unexpected challenges is a tremendously necessary field of activity, me thinks. i’m particularly interested in creating more localized and equitable food systems.
so should you make it to the event in Sept be sure to give a shout, since i also plan to be there.
cheers,
Thanks so much for your info Posie. I wouldn’t know where on net to find the minutes of such meeting, for example. IT is so valuable to me. I am pretty new to Using this forum, but seems to me isome of what you and others find out at these meetings would be of interest some time to MORE than just us MA residents…ie maybe start another thread (what is your community/state doing to prepare? if there isn’t another one) and double post. Am thinking if it is true MA is doing more than many states, maybe there needs to be a thread so localities and states can learn from eachother, ie people in other states not doing much can see what MA is doing concretely and push for that. And report what their locality is doing. keep it up Posie, you are doing us a service even as you are still in school. This is the real deal now.
er…sorry that was from me. and I kind of outed myself in reverse…:)
Up we go!
http://www.projo.com/cgi-bin/bi/gold_print.cgi
Health officials wrap up first pandemic flu summit
01:00 AM EDT on Saturday, July 1, 2006 BY FELICE J. FREYER Journal Medical Writer
Bodies will be piled, respectfully, in ice-skating rinks and refrigerated trucks. Relatives will be asked to identify them by photo rather than direct sight. Trained laypeople will determine that death occurred naturally, filling in for overburdened medical examiners.
Those are among the plans that health officials from seven states agreed on this week, as they considered how state governments would respond to a worldwide flu pandemic. The worst-case scenarios call for such a flu pandemic to kill 2 million Americans and 6,700 Rhode Islanders. That’s more bodies than hospital morgues can handle.
Officials from the six New England states and New York met in Boston Thursday and yesterday to begin coordinating their planning for such a calamity…
snip from above link …”The state officials will next gather in late August at the Naval War College in Newport for an exercise.
After that, Cirillo said, the focus will be on communicating just as officials would if a flu pandemic struck — not by traipsing to Boston for a “summit” but by picking up the phone. Working out the details of who will talk to whom when is part of the planning process.”…
Opinion on mortuary plans: Trained lay people instead of medical examiners, ok.
“Bodies will be piled, respectfully, in ice-skating rinks and refrigerated trucks” Don’t think so; back to drawing board.
Better to not have backlogs, power/fuel lots of reasons can’t do it that way for months. And, how do bodies get buried if they are stockpiling them places? Less overwhelming to process them promptly.
I should find the bodies thread, or page, and put that article link in, but, I’m doing a library printer fly-by and don’t have time.
Bump
I attended two of the Pandemic Flu conferences held this spring by MDPH, and found the breakout groups tackled some really in-depth issues, which was very encouraging.
However, there has been no follow-up mention of the tabletop/functional drills that MDPH mentioned in these conferences, nor have I been notified by my MDPH region.
Posie: what is the upcoming Sept. event that you mention?
bump for BB.
(BB, when does this need a new thread?)
Found and added this page titled [[http://tinyurl.com/gzaxh | Pandemic Preparation in the Commonwealth Regional Conference Update]] from 6/12/06.
Link edited for sidescroll - pogge
ack, sorry ‘bout that… (looks at empty coffee pot…)
crfullmoon – at 10:15 --- I would have to say “Right now!!”
Thread continued here
crfullmoon’s last post copied to new thread. Mostly.