COCA Conference Calls

October 28, 2009

COCA Conference Calls - TOMORROW and FRIDAY!

● Diabetes and Influenza (both Seasonal and H1N1): What Clinicians need to Know
● Overview of CDC Guidance on Infection Control in Healthcare Facilities (2009 H1N1 Influenza)
● Continuing Education Credit/Contact Hour Information

COCA Conference Call - Diabetes and Influenza (both Seasonal and H1N1): What Clinicians need to Know

Continuing Education Credits/Contact Hours (CME, CNE, CEU and CHES)
are available for this COCA Conference Call!
Diabetes and Influenza (both Seasonal and H1N1): What Clinicians need to Know
Speakers: Suchita Lorick, DO MPH ; Pamela Allweiss, MD MPH; Kristina Ernst BSN

Date: TOMORROW! Thursday, October 29, 2009
Time: 3:00-4:00 PM ET

Call-in number: 800-857-4785
Passcode: 2578516

The PowerPoint Presentation will be available on the COCA website on October 29th: http://emergency.cdc.gov/coca/callinfo.asp.

Objectives:

After this activity, the participants will be able to:
1. Identify the type of vaccines and antiviral coverage that are appropriate for people with diabetes
2. Describe the key sick day rules health care providers should emphasize to people with diabetes

COCA Conference Call - Overview of CDC Guidance on Infection Control in Healthcare Facilities (2009 H1N1 Influenza)

Continuing Education Credits/Contact Hours (CME, CNE, CEU and CHES)
are available for this COCA Conference Call!

Overview of CDC Guidance on Infection Control in Healthcare Facilities (2009 H1N1 Influenza)
Speakers: Arjun Srinivasan, MD; David Weissman, MD

Date: Friday, October 30, 2009
Time: 3:00 - 4:00 PM ET

Call-in number: 800-857-4785
Passcode: 7119244

The PowerPoint Presentation will be available on the COCA website on October 30th: http://emergency.cdc.gov/coca/callinfo.asp

Objectives:
After this activity, the participants will be able to:
1. Identify updates and revisions to CDC interim guidance on infection control measures to prevent 2009 H1N1 flu transmission in healthcare facilities.
2. Understand approaches and importance for facilities to have a comprehensive plan with regard to respiratory protection which is practical.
3. Describe specific recommendations within this guidance including promoting and administering H1N1 vaccine as well as seasonal flu vaccine.

Continuing Education Credit/Contact Hour Information

Continuing Education guidelines require that the attendance of all who participate in COCA

Conference Calls be properly documented. ALL Continuing Education credits/contact hours (CME, CNE, CEU and CECH) for COCA Conference Calls are issued online through the CDC Training & Continuing Education Online system http://www2a.cdc.gov/TCEOnline/.
Those who participate in the COCA Conference Calls and who wish to receive CE credit/contact hours and will complete the online evaluation within 30 days use the course code EC1265. Those who wish to receive CE credits/contact hours and will complete the online evaluation between 31 days and one year from the date of the call will use course code WD1265. CE certificates can be printed immediately upon completion of your online evaluation. A cumulative transcript of all CDC/ATSDR CE’s obtained through the CDC Training & Continuing Education Online System will be maintained for each user.

PURPOSE: To enhance clinicians knowledge of emerging or re-emerging threats, their effects on human populations and medical evaluation and management of these threats.

CME: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

CNE: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is accredited as a provider of Continuing Nursing Education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
This activity provides 1 contact hour.

CEU: The CDC has been approved as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET), 8405 Greensboro Drive, Suite 800, McLean, VA 22102. The CDC is authorized by IACET to offer 0.1 CEU's for this program.

CECH: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. This program is a designated event for the CHES to receive 1 Category I contact hour in health education, CDC provider number GA0082.

Please remember that if you cannot participate in the live COCA Conference Call, you can still get CE credit/contact hours! Simply download the PowerPoint and follow along with the audio file, both of which will both be posted on the coca website after the call and then complete the on-line evaluation within a year http://www2a.cdc.gov/TCEOnline/.

The CDC and HHS logos are the exclusive property of the Department of Health and Human Services and may not be used for any purpose without prior express written permission. Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Links to non-Federal organizations are provided solely as a service to our users. Links do not constitute an endorsement of any organization by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organizations.
Please send us your feedback or comments: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/coca/feedback.htm.

Our Clinician Communication Team is committed to excellence in reporting our weekly updates. Please e-mail coca@cdc.gov should you note any written errors or discrepancies.

If you need to unsubscribe or update your information, please go to our website: http://emergency.cdc.gov/clinregistry/userMaintenance2.asp

If you need further information or technical help, please send an e-mail message to coca@cdc.gov

Israel's First Secure Emergency Room Built and Dedicated in Light of Lessons of the Second Lebanon War

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Subject: Israel's First Secure Emergency Room Built and Dedicated in Light of Lessons of
the Second Lebanon War 1,200 days after outbreak of the Second Lebanon War, Rambam dedicates new emergency facility protected from missiles and chemical warfare

Rambam Medical Center Rambam Medical Center
Public Affairs and Spokesman
David Ratner, Director

During the Second Lebanon War, in the summer of 2006, the Rambam Health Care Campus (RHCC) admitted hundreds of wounded patients, soldiers and civilians, to an old, crowded and unprotected emergency room. As this took place, Katyusha missiles were falling in areas adjacent to the hospital.

For the Rambam administration, one of the main lessons of the war was the need to immediately construct a new protected emergency room. This facility would have to stand up to conventional and chemical means of warfare, and supply quality medical care for residents of Haifa and Northern Israel.

As a result of cooperation between donors - the Discount Investment Corporation Ltd of the IDB Group, the Jewish Agency, the Claims Conference and the non-profit organization, "Reut" - the necessary amount of 60 million shekels was raised for building and equipping the new emergency room.

"At the start of the Second Lebanon War we promised to protect Rambam. After three years we have completed the first stage," said RHCC Director Prof Rafi Beyar, referring to a huge building project at Rambam. This plan includes establishment of a secure underground hospital for 1,730 patients, a children's hospital, and facilities for cancer care and for cardiac treatment, and a tower for clinical research.

· The new emergency room is being built with an investment of 60 million shekels: one quarter of the sum comes from governmental sources, and the rest from private donors, philanthropic organizations and the RHCC budget.

· Donors: The IDB Group, the Jewish Agency, the Claims Conference and the non-profit organization, "Raiut".

· The emergency room will be secure from missile attacks, as well as conventional and chemical weapons.

· The new emergency room will be 3.5 times larger than the previous facility. It is spread over an area of 3,200 sq. meters, is spacious, computerized and equipped to treat 60 patients simultaneously, with an option to expand to 100 treatment stations in emergency situations.

· On average, some 100,000 to 110,000 patients arrive at Rambam's emergency room yearly.

· The treatment area for trauma victims and intensive care will be the largest in Israel: six treatment stations in routine circumstances and 11 stations in times of emergency. The stations are built in cooperation with the Technion to maximize the efficiency of shock room staff.

· Two digital x-ray rooms and two rooms for isolation of patients with suspected infectious diseases or weakened immune systems.

· Full computerization of all treatment stations (marking an end to the era of penned-in documents), including a computerized monitoring system developed in cooperation with the Technion and IBM .

Staff of Dept. of Emergency Medicine at Rambam

Director: Dr Shlomi Israelit Director
Internal Emergency Room: Dr Fuad Basis
Supervising Nurse: Hagar Baruch
Director, Trauma Unit: Dr Moshe Michaelson
Coordinator, Trauma: Gila Hymes
Operations Manager: Kobi Moskovitch
--------------------------------------------
IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis

Website: http://www.imra.org.il/

Call for Papers - 20th WCDM

IAEM Discussion Group:
The Canadian Centre for Emergency Preparedness(CCEP) is calling for presentations for the 20th World Conference on Disaster Management (WCDM).

The Conference will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, Canada from June 20-23, 2010.

The theme of the 20th WCDM is: "20 Years of Progress – Are We Prepared to Face Future Challenges? Emergency Management and Business Continuity Working Together"

WCDM is the premier annual event that addresses issues common to all aspects of Disaster Management. The conference program includes speakers from many parts of the world and provides excellent opportunities for training and networking for those in Emergency Planning/Management, Business Continuity, Risk Management, Security, Disaster Recovery, Emergency Response, Disaster Management Research, Emergency Communications, Emergency Health, as well as for the organizations which supply and service these professions.

With the continuing economic downturn and drop off of attendance at many of the major conferences, it is even more imperative that the 20th WCDM offer a quality program that challenges delegates by examining traditional concepts and methods, and provides:

- new ideas and approaches to problem solving
- both leading edge and topical presentations
- opportunities to connect with key individuals from around the world

Presentation abstracts must be submitted on-line by December 6, 2009.

If you have some knowledge to share and would like to submit an abstract, or know of someone who might be interested in presenting, please visit our web site at http://www.wcdm.org/Toronto/call-for-papers.html to access the Call for Papers and to see a more detailed description of the program outline.

If you have any questions please call Adrian Gordon at (905) 331-2552 or email: agordon@ccep.ca

Attn: Ham Operators who are emergency responders...

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 24, 2009

Contact: David Coursey

ARPC Files Petition to Amend 97.113: WB6NOA, N5GAR & N5FDL Seek
Changes Allowing Volunteers and Professionals to Train Together

October 24, 2009 -- The Amateur Radio Policy Committee today released
a copy of its Petition for Rule Making recently filed with the Federal Communications Commission.

The petition seeks changes necessary to allow amateur radio operators who are also paid emergency responders to participate in on-the-air emergency training exercises. The FCC recently stated that such activities--which had been taking place for many years--violate Part 97.113(a) of its rules and must be stopped.

Part 97.113 states that amateur radio operators may not communicate on behalf of their employer, even if it is a fire department, hospital, law enforcement, or a disaster relief charity, except during actual emergencies.

That means on a day-to-day basis that these professionals are prohibited from participating in on-air training exercises or even casual on-air conversations about their agency's emergency programs. Thus, hams working for an emergency management agency cannot participate in the agency's on-air training events with agency volunteer ham operators.

The Amateur Radio Policy Committee was formed to seek changes to FCC rules and put an end to this nonsense. Emergency responders should be able to train with their volunteers without needless interference from the FCC.

The committee consists of well-known amateur radio author Gordon West, WB6NOA; former North Texas ARRL Section Manager Tom Blackwell, N5GAR; and San Joaquin County (CA) ARES Coordinator David Coursey, N5FDL.

The petition proposes a change to Part 97.111 which describes communications permitted in the Amateur Radio Service. The proposed new language would make legal the following:

(6) Transmissions necessary for disaster relief or emergency response, including training exercises, planning, drills or tests, without regard to whether the amateur operator has related employment, where the transmissions are for the exclusive use of amateur radio operators for noncommercial purposes.

The petition also proposes minor wording changes to 97.113 to make it consistent with the suggested new language.

A copy of the petition may be downloaded from N5FDL.com, which also includes much additional information about this controversy.

More details here...

http://n5fdl.com/

Text of the petition...

http://n5fdl.com/storage/ARPC%20Part%2097%20Petition%20Final.pdf

Congratulations!

On behalf of myself and the entire DMM faculty, I want to congratulate, our student, Jennifer Lord, on receiving her AEM certification. Great step forward and continue to excel in the field. We are all awaiting your CEM.

A terrorist nuclear attack on the U.S. is a "preventable catastrophe"

The Business of Homeland Security

Published 17 October 2009

Graham Allison assesses the likelihood of a terrorist nuclear attack on the United States -- and offers the "Doctrine of Three No's" to prevent such an attack; the central points of this doctrine: "No unsecured nuclear weapons and weapons-usable material"; "no new national capabilities to enrich uranium or reprocess plutonium" and "no expansion of the nuclear club beyond its current 8.5 members"

How worried should we be about the possibility of terrorists getting their hands on a nuclear weapon and detonating it in the United States? Graham Allison, director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government and a former assistant secretary of defense -- and author of Nuclear Terrorism: The Ultimate Preventable Catastrophe -- offers an assessment of the threat and suggestions what to do about it. He writes that to assess the threat of nuclear terrorism, it is necessary to answer five questions. Here are the questions he poses and the answers he gives:

• Who could be planning a nuclear terrorist attack?

Al-Qaeda remains a formidable enemy with clear nuclear ambitions. Former CIA director George Tenet wrote in his memoirs that al-Qaeda's leadership has remained "singularly focused on acquiring weapons of mass destruction," and willing to "pay whatever it would cost to get their hands on fissile material."

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael Mullen, recently said, "What I've worried about for some time is terrorists who get their hands on nuclear devices ... and at the very high end, al-Qaeda still both seeks that capability and sees us as the enemy."

• What nuclear weapons could terrorists use?

They could acquire an existing bomb from one of the nuclear weapons states or construct an elementary nuclear device from highly enriched uranium made by a state. Theft of a warhead or material would not be easy, but attempted thefts in Russia and elsewhere are not uncommon. Once a terrorist group acquires about 100 pounds of highly enriched uranium, terrorists conceivably could build a bomb such as the one dropped on Hiroshima.

• Where could terrorists acquire a nuclear bomb?

Russia is the most likely source of materials used for a nuclear attack. North Korea is a close second. Kim Jong Il's regime already has displayed recklessness in risk-taking by selling to Syria a plutonium-producing nuclear reactor a thousand times larger than a nuclear weapon. Further, research reactors in forty developing and transitional countries still hold the essential ingredient for nuclear bombs.

• When could terrorists launch the first nuclear attack?

If terrorists bought or stole a nuclear weapon in good working condition, they could explode it today. If the weapon had a lock, detonation would be delayed for several days. If terrorists acquired 100 pounds of HEU, they could have a working elementary nuclear bomb in less than a year.

• How could terrorists deliver a nuclear weapon to its target?

The nuclear weapon that terrorists would use in the first attack on the United States could arrive in a cargo container or along one of the paths used daily to bring illegal drugs across our borders. The sober judgment of the Commission on the Prevention of WMD Proliferation and Terrorism is that the threat is "growing, not shrinking."

As former senator Sam Nunn testified to that commission, the threat of a nuclear terrorist attack today is greater than it was eight years ago. To see what such an event would mean in your neighborhood, enter your ZIP code at http://www.nuclearterror.org/.

Allison writes that the good news is that this ultimate catastrophe is preventable. He offers this strategy for prevention, a strategy that could be called a "Doctrine of Three No's":

• No unsecured nuclear weapons and weapons-usable material; secure all nuclear weapons and materials to a "gold standard" within the next four years.
• No new national capabilities to enrich uranium or reprocess plutonium.
• No expansion of the nuclear club beyond its current 8.5 members (the eight members are the United States, Russia, China, France, England, Israel, India, and Pakistan; the half-member is North Korea, which is the only self-declared but unrecognized nuclear state).

We note that two of the three points relate directly to Iran: "No new national capabilities to enrich uranium or reprocess plutonium" and "No expansion of the nuclear club beyond its current 8.5 members."

"Faced with the possibility of an American Hiroshima, many Americans are paralyzed by a combination of denial and fatalism," Allison concludes. "But citizens must press their elected officials to adopt a clear agenda for action and then hold them accountable for following through."

FEMA Keynote and IAEM 57th Annual Conference LIVE WEBCAST

FEMA Administrator W. Craig Fugate's IAEM Keynote Address to Be Webcast Live on November 2, 2009

FEMA Administrator W. Craig Fugate's keynote address at the 57th Annual IAEM Conference will be webcast live from Orlando, FL on November 2, 2009 at 9:00am. Mr. Fugate began serving in the position of Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in May 2009. Prior to coming to FEMA, he served as Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM). In that role since 2001, he managed 138 full-time staff and a budget of $745 million. His agency coordinated disaster response, recovery, preparedness and mitigation efforts with each of the state's 67 counties and local governments. Mr. Fugate began his emergency management career as a volunteer firefighter, Emergency Paramedic, and finally as a Lieutenant with the Alachua County Fire Rescue. Eventually, he moved from exclusive fire rescue operations to serving as the Emergency Manager for Alachua County in Gainesville, Florida. He spent a decade in that role until May 1997 when he was appointed Bureau Chief for Preparedness and Response for FDEM.

IAEM 2009 LIVE WEBCAST - Participate Virtually & Save
While nothing can replace the unique educational and networking benefits of attending in person, for those whose schedule prevents them from attending, the 57th Annual IAEM conference will be webcast live from Orlando, FL from November 2-3, 2009.

For only $179 ($149 for Members), utilizing the latest web conferencing technology, you will be able to:

• View live conference video
• Listen to live audio
• View speaker's PowerPoint presentations
• Ask questions of the presenter
• Receive a complete electronic copy of the conference documentation
• Download the webcasts after the conference for On-Demand viewing

Can't spend all day at your computer? Live webcast participants receive FREE On-Demand access to the webcasts after the conference is over.

- Learn more and register for live webcast
- Download a FREE sample webcast

Healthcare Reform Uncovered: What's at stake for you?

Register now for our next Pass the Ball Online Event:

Healthcare Reform Uncovered: What's At Stake For You

Wed Oct 21, 2009 4pm PST/7pm EST
Join us in this national online forum featuring a fascinating array of panelists including Heather Smith, President of Rock The Vote, Pete Wentz, from Fall Out Boy, and U.S. Secretary of Health & Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius.

Did you know 18-29 year olds are the most uninsured age group in America? It's true. And without affordable healthcare, many of us could be exposed to a lifetime of hurt. We'll discuss how reform will effect young people in particular, and we'll help answer what's at stake for you and all Americans.

This highly personalized and engaging panel discussion will be delivered by expert voices and concerned young people. Capacity is limited. Sign up here and post your questions and ideas in advance.

The Rock The Vote National Healthcare Forum. October 21st.
PassTheBall.com.
See you online!

CDC H1N1 Flu Website Situation Update, October 17, 2009

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Vaccine Supply Status

Nationwide distribution of the H1N1 (Swine) flu vaccine is underway to all states. Approximately 6 million doses have been shipped throughout the United States. A weekly update on the vaccine supply and shipment status, complete with state-by-state numbers, is now available on the CDC website.

View the Vaccine Supply Status page;

Key Flu Indicators

Each week CDC analyzes information about influenza disease activity in the United States and publishes findings of key flu indicators in a report called FluView. During the week of October 4-10, 2009, a review of the key indicators found that influenza activity continued to increase in the United States from the previous week. Below is a summary of the most recent key indicators:

• Visits to doctors for influenza-like illness (ILI) continued to increase in the United States, and overall, are higher than what is expected for this time of the year. ILI activity now is equal to or higher than what is seen at the peak of many regular flu seasons.
• Total influenza hospitalization rates for laboratory-confirmed flu are climbing and are higher than expected for this time of year.
• The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) based on the 122 Cities Report has increased and exceeds what is normally expected at this time of year. In addition, 11 flu-related pediatric deaths were reported this week; 10 of these deaths were confirmed 2009 H1N1, and one was influenza A virus, but unsubtyped. Since April 2009, there have been 86 confirmed pediatric 2009 H1N1 deaths; 39 of these have been reported to CDC since August 30, 2009.
• Forty-one states are reporting widespread influenza activity at this time. They are: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. This many reports of widespread activity are unprecedented during seasonal flu.
• Almost all of the influenza viruses identified so far are 2009 H1N1 influenza A viruses. These viruses remain similar to the virus chosen for the 2009 H1N1 vaccine, and remain susceptible to the antiviral drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir with rare exception.

Learn more;

U.S. Situation Update

Weekly Flu Activity Estimates

U.S. Patient Visits Reported for Influenza-like Illness (ILI)

U.S. Influenza-like Illness (ILI) Reported by Regions

U.S. Influenza and Pneumonia-Associated Hospitalizations
and Deaths from August 30 – October 10, 2009
Posted October 16, 2009, 11:00 AM ET
Data reported to CDC by October 13, 2009, 12:00 AM ET

Cases Defined by	Hospitalizations	Deaths
Influenza and Pneumonia Syndrome*	15,696	2,029
Influenza Laboratory-Tests**	4,958	292
*Reports can be based on syndromic, admission or discharge data, or a combination of data elements that could include laboratory-confirmed and influenza-like illness hospitalizations. **Laboratory confirmation includes any positive influenza test (rapid influenza tests, RT-PCR, DFA, IFA, or culture), whether or not typing was done. This table is based on data reported to CDC by U.S. states and territories from a new influenza and pneumonia hospitalizations and deaths web-based reporting system. This system will be used to monitor trends in activity for the 2009-10 influenza season. This is a cumulative count beginning August 30, 2009. The table shows aggregate reports of all influenza and pneumonia-associated hospitalizations and deaths (including 2009 H1N1 and seasonal flu) since August 30, 2009 received by CDC from U.S. states and territories. This table will be updated weekly each Friday at 11 a.m. For the 2009-2010 influenza season, states are reporting based on new case definitions for hospitalizations and deaths effective August 30, 2009. CDC will continue to use its traditional surveillance systems to track the progress of the 2009-2010 influenza season. For more information about influenza surveillance, including reporting of influenza-associated hospitalizations and deaths, see Questions and Answers: Monitoring Influenza Activity, Including 2009 H1N1. The number of 2009 H1N1 hospitalizations and deaths reported to CDC from April – August 2009 is available on the Past Situation Updates page. For state level information, refer to state health departments. International Human Cases of 2009 H1N1 Flu Infection See: World Health Organization.

For more information about the U.S. situation, see the CDC H1N1 Flu U.S. Situation Update page.

International Situation Update

This report provides an update to the international situation as of October 16, 2009. The World Health Organization (WHO) continues to report laboratory-confirmed 2009 H1N1 flu cases and deaths on its Web page. These laboratory-confirmed cases represent a substantial underestimation of total cases in the world, as many countries focus surveillance and laboratory testing only on people with severe illness. The 2009 H1N1 influenza virus continues to be the dominant influenza virus in circulation in the world. Since April 19, 2009, over half of all influenza positive specimens reported to WHO were 2009 H1N1. In temperate regions of the Southern Hemisphere, disease due to 2009 H1N1 has returned to below baseline. In tropical regions of the Americas and Asia, influenza activity due to 2009 H1N1 remains variable. In temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, there is increased influenza-like illness (ILI) activity due to 2009 H1N1 in many areas, including Western Europe and Northern Asia, most of the United States, and parts of Mexico and Canada.

For more information about the international situation, see the CDC H1N1 Flu International Situation Update page.

CDC Experts Contributing to WebMD's Focus on Flu Blog

In collaboration with WebMD, experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be guest blogging and helping to answer questions on WebMD's Focus on Flu Blog. Launched on October 7th, Dr. Anthony Fiore (NCIRD) has since posted two blogs entries, October 7, 2009, “CDC Update on Flu and the H1N1 Vaccine” and October 14, "Flu Shot or Nasal Spray Vaccine?". The Focus on Flu blog is scheduled to run through the end of December.

Recent Updates of Interest

• Weekly FluView Map and Surveillance Report for Week Ending October 10, 2009
  During week 40 (October 4-10, 2009), influenza activity remained stable in the United States; however, there were still higher levels of influenza-like illness than is normal for this time of year.
• 2009-2010 Influenza Season Triage Algorithm for Children (18 years or Younger) With Influenza-Like Illness (PDF)
  This algorithm was developed for use by physicians and those under their direct supervision to help in discussions and providing advice to parents or other caregivers of ill children regarding seeking medical care for an influenza-like illness. The algorithm can be used regardless of whether or not the child has been vaccinated for influenza. (Caregivers of children who may have potentially life threatening signs and symptoms, such as unresponsiveness, or respiratory distress and/or cyanosis [blue-colored skin], should be instructed to dial 911.)
• Pediatric Supplement: Recommendations for use of antiviral medications for 2009 H1N1 influenza in children and adolescents
  This document provides clinician guidance regarding use of antiviral medications for the management of 2009 H1N1 influenza in children and adolescents. Questions and answers regarding high risk groups, considerations for antiviral therapy, pharmaceutical considerations, and considerations for post-exposure chemoprophylaxis. Additional resources are included.
• Updated Recommendations on Antivirals
  Updates include: considerations for vaccinated persons, inclusion of the 2-week postpartum period as higher risk, oseltamivir dosing instructions for children younger than 1 year, and a review of antiviral indications and contraindications.
• Translations: Public Service Announcement Scripts: Hygiene Habits to Fight Novel H1N1 Flu
  Translations for Arabic, Farsi, Kirundi, Somali, and Burmese.
• 2009 H1N1 Flu: International Situation Update
  This report provides an update to the international situation as of October 16, 2009. The World Health Organization (WHO) continues to report updated 2009 H1N1 flu-associated laboratory-confirmed cases and deaths on its Web page.
• 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine Supply Status
  Every Friday, CDC will post updated 2009 H1N1 vaccine supply and distribution data.
• U.S. Influenza and Pneumonia-Associated Hospitalizations and Deaths from October 4-10, 2009
  During the week of October 4-10, 2009, influenza activity continued to increase in the United States. Flu activity is now widespread. Nationwide, visits to doctors for influenza-like-illness increased over last week and are higher than expected for this time of year. In addition, flu-related hospitalizations and deaths are increasing as well, and are higher than expected.
• FLYER: 2009 H1N1 Flu Vaccine: It Takes Two (PDF - Spanish translation)
  Get your child a second 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine dose.
• FLYER: 2009 H1N1 Flu Vaccine: It Takes Two (PDF)
  Get your child a second 2009 H1N1 flu vaccine dose.
• Updated: 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine
  Updated question and answer for 2009 H1N1 Influenza Vaccine.
• 2009 H1N1 Flu and Seasonal Flu Information for Rheumatology Health Professionals
  This document provides clinician guidance regarding the rheumatologic patient population. Questions and answers regarding risk, vaccines and patient advice are available. Additional resources are included in this guidance as well.
• 2009 H1N1 Flu and Seasonal Flu Information for People with Inflammatory Arthritis or Rheumatic Disease
  The purpose of this document is to provide guidance for people with inflammatory arthritis and rheumatic disease regarding seasonal and H1N1 flu. Important questions and answers are provided for this specific population. Additional resources are included in this guidance as well.
• Allocation and Distribution Questions and Answers
  The purpose of this document is to provide information on plans for allocation and distribution of 2009 H1N1 vaccine. This document has been updated with additional information about the distribution process.
• Questions and Answers about CDC's Interim Guidance on Infection Control Measures for 2009 H1N1 Influenza in Healthcare Settings, Including Protection of Healthcare Personnel
  How is this recommendation different from the previous 2009 H1N1 guidance for healthcare personnel?....Who should use this guidance?....
• Interim Guidance on Infection Control Measures for 2009 H1N1 Influenza in Healthcare Settings, Including Protection of Healthcare Personnel
  Updated interim guidance on infection control measures to prevent transmission of 2009 H1N1 influenza in healthcare facilities. This updated guidance applies uniquely to the special circumstances of the current 2009 H1N1 pandemic and will be updated as necessary as new information becomes available throughout the course of this influenza season.
• Questions and Answers Regarding Respiratory Protection For Preventing 2009 H1N1 Influenza Among Healthcare Personnel
  Questions and Answers which provide additional information intended to assist healthcare facilities in optimizing implementation of recommended respiratory protection practices in the context of shortages of respiratory protection equipment.
• 2009 H1N1 and Seasonal Flu: What You Should Know About Flu Antiviral Drugs
  Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines that fight against the flu in your body.

Additional Updates on the CDC H1N1 Flu Website

To learn about other recent updates made to the CDC H1N1 Flu Website, please check the "What's New" page on the CDC H1N1 Flu website.

[CrisisAlert] Monitoring H1N1

Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

CDC H1N1 Flu Media Briefing

1016 Atlanta GA

Unprecedented level of flu activity

Substantial impact of production delays in H1N1 vax

Pediatric deaths increasing

Anne Schuchat: Good afternoon, everyone. Influenza is widespread in the country and illness, hospitalizations and deaths continue to increase. 41 states are now identifying widespread disease from influenza, that's up from 37 last week. The other states are all seeing either regional or local activity. It's unprecedented for this time of year to have the whole country seeing such high levels of activity. The influenza-like illness that we track with our ILInet sentinel provider system is showing higher levels of illness than we saw last week. Again, these are unprecedented levels of illness. The national average is about 6.1% of doctors visits, for purposes of influenza-like illness that's very high at any time particularly in October. We also track mortality around the country. Through something called the pneumonia and influenza mortality survey with 122 cities. And for the first week this fall, we're seeing that the amount of influenza and pneumonia mortality is above the epidemic threshold. All of these things may suggest it's a very busy and difficult flu season and we are seeing very high levels of activity around the country. We are also having updates on the pediatric deaths. Unfortunately those are going up as well. There are now a total of 86 children under 18 who died from this H1N1 influenza virus, the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. We had 11 more influenza pediatric deaths reported in week 40, which is the week that ends October 10...PLEASE CONTINUE TO The Village Speaks

1017 H1N1 flu is widespread [Northwest Territories]

1017 Province issues updated guidance H1N1 documents to healthcare providers [Ontario]

1017 H1N1 flu update - vax may be available earlier than November [New Brunswick]

1017 Clinical features of severe cases of pandemic influenza [Global]

1017 States advised of production delays for the new H1N1 vax [Vermont]

1017 H1N1 flu vax clinics getting underway [Connecticut]

1017 Free H1N1 vax clinics for youth, pregnant women [Washington DC]

1017 Additional H1N1 flu vax coming to state [Oklahoma]

1017 State receives fewer than anticipated H1N1 vax doses this week [Colorado]

1017 H1N1 flu vax distribution underway - flu activity high [Wyoming]

1017 First local H1N1 flu death this fall [King County, Washington]

1017 State response to H1N1 continues, Joint Info Center opens [Arizona]

1017 Informe semanal de situación gripe pandémica A (H1N1) [Spain]

1017 Evolution de la grippe A/H1N1 et des mesures en Belgique : rapport hebdomadaire [Belgium]

1017 Quatrième cas mortel de grippe pandémique A/H1N1 [Belgium]

1017 Troisième cas mortel de grippe pandémique A/H1N1 [Belgium]

1017 Seventeen-year-old pregnant woman dies after contracting H1N1 flu [Scotland]

1017 H1N1 vax program to begin Oct 21 [Scotland]

1017 Details of H1N1 flu vax program announced [Ireland]

1017 H1N1 flu rate increasing with main burden of disease remaining with school-aged children and young adults [England]

1017 H1N1 flu levels continue to increase [Wales]

1017 DHSS offers online education webinar for H1N1 [New Jersey]

IAEM 2009 LIVE WEBCAST - Participate Virtually & Save

While nothing can replace the unique educational and networking benefits of attending in person, for those whose schedule prevents them from attending, the 57th Annual IAEM conference will be webcast live from Orlando, FL from November 2-3, 2009.

For only $179 ($149 for Members), utilizing the latest web conferencing technology, you will be able to:

* View live conference video
* Listen to live audio
* View speaker's PowerPoint presentations
* Ask questions of the presenter
* Receive a complete electronic copy of the conference documentation
* Download the webcasts after the conference for On-Demand viewing

Can't spend all day at your computer? Live webcast participants receive FREE On-Demand access to the webcasts after the conference is over.

- Learn more and register for live webcast
- Download a FREE sample webcast

NATO Internship Programme 2010

The 7th Call for Application for an internship in 2010 is now closed.
The next Call for applications will open in Spring 2010.

Do you study Political Science, International Relations or Security Studies?

Are you an interdisciplinary candidate with qualifications in Economics, Finance, or Human Resources?

Have you studied Information Technology, Web or Graphic design, or Library Sciences?
Do you study Aeronautics or Engineering?

Your background is Media, or Journalism?
You speak Russian or Arabic?

Are you able to conduct independent research and analysis?

NATO needs your skills !

NATO Headquarters (HQ) introduced its Internship Programme in 2004. The aim of the programme is to provide a small number of current or recent students with the opportunity to intern with the International Staff at NATO Headquarters in Brussels.

There is one call for applications per year, from March until June with two starting dates, in September and March the following year. Internships will in principle last 6 months.
Programme Objectives

The NATO Internship Programme has four main objectives:

* To provide the Organisation with access to the latest theoretical and technical knowledge that the intern can apply through practical work assignments, as well as with additional staff resources.
* To provide interns with an opportunity to learn from the NATO community and get a better understanding and a more balanced view of the Organisation.
* To contribute to creating a more diverse workforce.
* To expand understanding of NATO in Alliance countries.

What does NATO offer?

Interns will benefit by experiencing an international organisation from the inside while substantiating their Curriculum Vitae.

Internships are offered in the following areas:

* Defence Policy and Planning
* Defence Investment
* Executive Management
* NATO Office of Security
* Operations
* Political Affairs and Security Policy
* Public Diplomacy
* NATO Office of Ressources
* Private Office
* Agencies: IMS (International Military Staff), SHAPE, NC3A, NAMA, ...

Remuneration: Interns receive a lump sum of € 600 per month. The salary is not exempt from taxation.

Leave: After three months of service, interns shall be entitled to leave (including sick leave) at the rate of 2.5 working days for every month of service completed.
Eligibility Criteria

Current students and recent graduates (1 year) with:

* Age: over 21 at the time of internship (for insurance purposes)
* Nationality: nationals of a NATO member state*
* Studies: at least two years of university study or equivalent
* Languages: proficiency in one of the official NATO languages (English/French); desirable working knowledge of the other.

Interns are required to have health insurance coverage, and to take care of formalities with Belgian authorities regarding their stay in Belgium: Federal Public Service of the Interior, Chaussée d’Anvers 59B, 1000 Brussels (phone: + 32 2 206 15 99, http://www.dofi.fgov.be or http://diplobel.fgov.be or www.diplomatie.be ), or Belgian Embassies and Consulates outside Belgium.

All interns will require a security clearance from their national authorities prior to working at NATO. The procedure will be initiated as soon as the candidate has been selected.

Please refer to the NATO Internship Programme Policy for a full description of the programme.

http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/structure.htm

Jobs

DISASTER SERVICES SPECIALIST
County of Los Angeles - Health Services - Los Angeles, CA
field of emergency preparedness and disaster services... management and public relations, one year of which must have been in a disaster or emergency services...

Regional Emergency Preparedness Asst. Coordinator
University of North Carolina Health Care - Chapel Hill, NC
projects and management of State Medical Assistance... Accounting, Emergency Response, Inventory Management, Medical Knowledge (Advanced), Medical Terminology...

Emergency Preparedness Program Coordinator
University Medical Center - Las Vegas, NV
and implementation of the hospitals Comprehensive Emergency Management program. Coordinates with the... emergency preparedness and response plans, hospital... $26.01 - $41.62 an hour

Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
Veterans Affairs: Veterans Health Administration - Nashville, TN
local VAMC emergency preparedness program including development of all emergency preparedness plans, local... for the VHA Disaster Emergency Management Personnel... $67,613 - $87,893 a year

Coordinator of Emergency Preparedness for Wellstar Health System
Enterprise Support - Atlanta, GA
management activities, provide disaster preparedness... and understanding of disaster planning, emergency management or emergency preparedness as normally...

Interesting Website and Organization

http://www.thecell.org/

PhilaU Connect - October 13, 2009

PhilaU Connect Professional International Presentations

will be presenting

"Command Considerations to Terrorist Bombings"

October 13, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)

The PhilaU Connect Professional International Presentations is proud to present Aaron Richman who is the Co-Director for the Institute of Terrorism Research and Response in Philadelphia and Israel, where he is responsible for the global Targeted Actionable Monitoring Center's intelligence and research projects.

He specializes in emergency planning and training for incidents of weapons of mass destruction and suicide bombings. Mr. Richman has conducted various research projects dealing with best practices in terror response and command considerations for such incidents.

Mr. Richman comes from a career in military and law enforcement in the Middle East. After serving military tours in Israel, he was recruited to the Central Command of the Israel National Police where he worked in various capacities at a command level to include, narcotics, counter terrorism and operations.

Mr. Richman is formerly, Director of the Center for Special Operations Training located in Philadelphia, PA. Under this federally funded Center, Mr. Richman established a statewide weapons of mass destruction program with the mission of preparing pre-hospital and hospital care personnel in the proper responses to various threats. This program included preparing healthcare facilities in hospital incident command compliancy as well as emergency response planning, exercising, and training.

Mr. Richman is a licensed paramedic and has partaken in numerous training events associated with emergency services and law enforcement, sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security as a consultant. He has instructed paramedics, law enforcement personnel, and civilians in mass casualty incidents, suicide bombers, and weapons of mass destruction.

Currently, Mr. Richman is managing a number of international projects in the field of counter-terrorism and emergency management to include programs sponsored by the European Union and NATO. The two separate research projects address emergency management and the response to a weapons of mass destruction incident for the European Union and NATO forces. In addition, he is a lead instructor and curriculum developer for the Department of Homeland Security sponsored program, Prevention and Response to Suicide Bombing Incidents. He has developed curriculum for New Mexico Technical Institute in medical response to terrorist bombings as well as lectures on counter-terrorism for the International Law Enforcement Academy.

Mr. Richman has a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Leicester and a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice from Temple University, as well as various specialized counter-terror training in the U.S. and Israel. Currently he is a Doctoral candidate in Public Policy and Homeland Security and is an Assistant Professor for the Master's Degree Disaster Medicine and Management Program for Philadelphia University.

The Israeli National Police in general, and the Jerusalem Police, specifically, have been interdicting and responding to suicide bombing attacks for many years. The tactic of the adversary has adapted to the constant improvement in the counter-terror techniques and countermeasures of the Israelis. This lecture will present various case students by Aaron Richman, a former captain in the Jerusalem Precinct. The case studiess will address response considerations to mass casualty terror events inside Israel. He will address attacks of which he commanded the response, as well as suicide bombings with strong lessons learned for first responders and receivers. Emergency services, managers, and the private sector can gain tools and knowledge to assist in designing policies and procedures for various responses to such incidents, as well as an understanding as to the dangers associated with operation in such an environment.

Instructions outlining how to join the PhilaU Connect will be sent via email prior to the event. Each PhilaU Connect presentation will include a certificate of attendance emailed to the attendee.

Questions or to register, please contact Annette Solarski at solarskia@philau.edu.

NTSB OFFERING THREE-DAY COURSE FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS TO TRANSPORTATION ACCIDENTS

Attn: IAEM-US Members From: IAEM Headquarters *********************************************************************************
NTSB ADVISORY *********************************************************************************
National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594
October 5, 2009
*********************************************************************************
NTSB OFFERING THREE-DAY COURSE FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS TO TRANSPORTATION ACCIDENTS
*********************************************************************************
The National Transportation Safety Board is offering a three-day course, "Transportation Disaster Response - A Course for Emergency Responders," at the NTSB Training Center in Ashburn, Virginia (near Washington, D.C.) on November 17-19, 2009. The course is being facilitated with the full participation of the New Jersey State Police. This course is designed specifically for local, county, state and federal emergency responders, planners and managers as well as members of organizations and agencies with accident response roles.

NTSB specialists and speakers from the FBI, the New Jersey State Police, and other emergency response agencies and organizations with response roles in recent accidents will discuss the operational and organizational challenges encountered in responding to large-scale, high-profile transportation accidents.

Topics will include the incident command system, events involving terrorism and/or hazardous materials, interaction with the news media, communicating with the local community and families of the victims, assistance to family members, forensic aspects of recovery and identification, and long-term issues facing the affected community following a major disaster.

Case studies will include:
- Crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407, Clarence Center, NY
- Collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis, MN
- US Airways Airbus crash landing in the Hudson River
- Corporate response to disasters involving employees working in remote parts of the world

For a more complete description of the course, the registration process and the cost, please go to: http://www.ntsb.gov/Academy/CourseInfo/TDA402_2009.htm

6th Annual "Hot" Topics in Hospital Emergency Preparedness and Emergency Department Practice for the 21st Century

When: Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Where: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Clinical Academic Building, 1302
New Brunswick, New Jersey

Time: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

Topics:

Expect the Unexpected: Computer System Disasters
Ray Tyska, Help Desk Supervisor, RWJUH
Ralph Stewart, Director IS Network/Operations, RWJUH

Pharmaceutical Distribution in Mass Casualty Incidents
Patrick Bridgeman, RPh, Pharmacist, Emergency Department RWJUH

Chernobyl, Y2K, and the Swine Flu (H1N1): America's Reaction to Large Scale Events
Dr. Mark Merlin, Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics
UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Medical Director, EMS and Critical Care Transport, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Medical Director, NJ EMS/Disaster Fellowship

Preparing for the Onslaught: Caring for the Worried Well
Paul Mikita RN, CEN, MICN
Staff Nurse, Emergency Department RWJUH
Gregg Sharp RN, CEN, MICN
Head Nurse, Emergency Department RWJUH

Trauma and Emergency Preparedness
Dr. Vincente Gracias
Chief, Trauma and Surgical Critical Care,
UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Are You Ready for Children? Pediatric Disaster Preparedness
Dawn Tortajada BSN, RN
Nurse Educator, Pediatric Emergency
Department and Pediatric Float Pool RWJUH

H1N1: Fact verses Fiction
Brian Carney, EMT-P
EMS/Emergency Management Education and Planning
RWJUH

Brochure and registration information available at:
www.rwjuh-ems.org/new.htm

Vegas job

Emergency Preparedness Program Coordinator
UMC - Las Vegas, NV
and implementation of the hospitals Comprehensive Emergency Management
program. Coordinates with the... disaster planning and emergency
management. This... $26.01 - $41.62 an hour
From Las Vegas Review Journal - 3:02 AM - save job, email, block,
more...

University of Central Florida

Campus Location: University of Central Florida Position Type: Full-Time
Professional Exempt Contractual (OPS)

Salary $40 - $48K annualFLSA: Exempt - Not Eligible for Overtime Compensation
Date Posted: 10 Sept 2009 Closing Date: 18 Sept 2009

Reports To:
Emergency Management Coordinator Status: First Review Sept 2009

Job Description:
The Project Manager Assistant serves in an administrative and leadership capacity (under the supervision of the Project Manager) and provides operational and administrative support for the University of Central Florida (UCF) Emergency Management (EM) for Higher Education Grant Project.

Duties Responsibilities:
* Implements tasks and deliverables of the Emergency Management for Higher Education (EMHE) Grant as directed by the Project Manager
* Monitors University of Central Florida (UCF) Emergency Management (EM) Plan Revision Project activities and ensures compliance with federal, state, and local requirements such as University of Central Florida policies and procedures, Department of Education policies and procedures, and the National Incident Management System
* Supports the University of Central Florida campus and operational divisions with the development or revision of emergency operations plans and procedures
* Attends all internal and external meetings required under the provisions of the EMHE grant
* Serves as a point of contact with all internal university entities and external first responder agencies involved in EMHE grant activities
* Provides the external evaluator the data and information needed for project evaluation
* Performs other duties as assigned

Minimum Requirements:
* Bachelor's Degree in Emergency Management, Criminal Justice, Fire Services, Public Administration or a related field and directly related experience
* Must be certified in the National Incident Management System (NIMS) I-100, I-200, I-300, and I-400 classes and possess knowledge of the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)
* Considerable knowledge of the principles, methods, and techniques of emergency management planning, training and exercising
* Knowledge of the organization and operation of local and regional emergency management programs
* Knowledge of public relations and educational principles and techniques
* Ability to plan, direct and coordinate complex emergency management projects to achieve desired goals
* Ability to effectively participate in the development of comprehensive plans for unusual emergencies
* Ability to perform research and prepare pertinent reports
* Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with stakeholders
* Possess excellent communication skills (verbal and written)
* Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, verbally and in writing, to groups and individuals
* Ability to facilitate the training of college personnel in emergency management activities
* Ability to work effectively in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural environment
* Ability to work a flexible schedule that may include evening and weekend assignments
* TEMPORARY GRANT FUNDED POSITION THROUGH FEBRUARY 28, 2011

Submit letter of interest and resume to Jeff Morgan at
JRMorgan@mail.ucf.edu

Article: Home Front Command to Use Gyms as Treatment Centers for Chemical Attack Victims

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