West Virginia Universitys VMC /Homeland Security Programs will conduct the second in a series of five tabletop exercises for bio-terrorism preparedness Thursday, April 7, from 9 a.m.3 p.m. at Embassy Suites in Charleston.
Would your community be on the same page if there was a bio-terrorism threat in the area? Are schools prepared to quarantine students or become shelters for displaced victims? Are faith-based organizations knowledgeable about available resources for aide and assistance? Are various emergency services in the area working together to provide the most efficient and effective response to a disaster?
These questions and others will be addressed during the day-long exercisepart of the West Virginia Prepares: Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) Continuing Education Partnership Project. The West Virginia Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) and Community Research Associates, Inc. (CRA) are working with the WVU VMC to plan and facilitate the exercise.
Those interested in attending the free exercise can log on to www.vmc.wvu.edu/hrsa/tabletops.htm to register. Participants can register using the online form, or can print out a form and mail it in. A limited number of walk-ins also will be taken on the day of the event beginning at 8 a.m. at Embassy Suites.
Lunch will be provided to participants at no cost. Free Continuing Education credits are available.
The tabletops are not just for emergency responders, but are being designed to assist hospitals, public health employees, primary care physicians, social workers, school officials, faith based groups, major employers, postal workers, transportation officials, homeless shelters, media, building supervisors and local city officials.
Other tabletop exercises are being planned for April 21, Roland P. Sharp Alumni Conference Center on the Campus of West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, Lewisburg; May 5, Clarion Hotel and Conference Center, Shepherdstown, W.Va.; and May 25, WV High Tech Consortium in the Alan B. Mollohan Building, Fairmont.
