NCJ Number
194389
Journal
The Beacon Volume: 2 Issue: 6 Dated: March 2000 Pages: 2-5
Date Published
March 2000
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article describes Oklahoma's preparation for responding to a terrorist attack that involves weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and critiques the operation of this network as it responded to an epidemic of flu-like symptoms confronting the public health and medical community in Oklahoma City in the winter of 1999-2000.
Abstract
Oklahoma's domestic preparedness training began in December 1998 and inadvertently helped the health and medical community prepare for the increase in flu-like cases that inundated Oklahoma City's hospitals. The area's lead medics had participated in domestic preparedness training and were made aware that one of the early warning signs of a possible bioterrorist event is a sudden increase in flu-like cases. When the epidemic hit the city's hospitals, the public health and medical community relied on the network to quickly verify that the cause of the sudden increase in disease was naturally occurring due to an influenza virus, but larger than normal. The network quickly mounted a public information campaign to inform citizens about the nature of the disease and the most effective and efficient way to receive treatment. The Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) coordinated these efforts. The EMSA regularly received reports from emergency departments and hospitals and disseminated the information across the health system, ensuring ongoing management of patient distribution and care. A number of hospitals opened additional treatment areas and authorized overtime. Within a couple of weeks, caseloads returned to normal. The lessons learned by this experience were the importance of communications, coordination, and consistency. All communities with WMD preparedness should ensure that these key fundamentals are embraced and made an integral part of their planning efforts.