Date: June 9, 2006

NASSAU COUNTY AGENCIES PARTICIPATE IN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DRILL- June 11th

Contacts:

Long Beach Medical Center: Sharon Player - 897-1095
NCDOH: Cynthia D. Brown - 571-3417
Nassau University Medical Center: Shelley Lotenberg - 572-6055
Glen Cove Hospital (North Shore-LIJ Health System): Brian Mulligan - (631) 291-3327 (cellphone)
OEM: Greg Caronia - 573-0636
South Nassau Communities Hospital: Damian Becker - (516) 603-1779 (cellphone)
Winthrop University Hospital: John Broder - 663-0333 (hospital page operations)

Nassau County is conducting a multi-agency drill designed to enhance the county’s ability to distribute critical medication in the event of a public health emergency.

Specifically, today’s training is intended to enhance Nassau County’s first responders’ ability to operate multiple Point of Distribution (POD) sites to dispense oral medication.  This drill will allow first responders and health care staffs to practice operating their own PODs.  By first medicating health care, EMS, fire and police personnel, we can maintain vital services and assist in medicating Nassau’s 1.3 million residents at designated public PODs. First responders include Fire Battalions, Police, Nassau County hospitals, Medical Reserve Corps, Emergency Management and the Health Department. 

• Total number of drill participants:  Approximately 3,000 including staff members and volunteers          
• Length of Drill:  8:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M.         
• A total of 45,000 doses of “medication” will be dispensed at 22 POD sites.
• Participating hospitals:  All hospitals in Nassau County will practice opening and operating PODS:
  Long Beach Medical Center,  Mercy Medical Center, Nassau University Medical Center, New Island Hospital, North Shore-Franklin Hospital Medical Center, North Shore – Glen Cove, North Shore – Long Island Jewish Health System, North Shore – Manhasset, North Shore -  Syosset, South Nassau Communities Hospital, St. Francis Hospital,  Winthrop University Hospital.
• Nine fire battalions and the Nassau County Police will be operating PODS.
• Eight sites also will be practicing decontamination of personnel: Nassau University Medical Center, New Island Hospital, North Shore-Franklin Hospital Medical Center, North Shore – Glen Cove, North Shore – Plainview, North Shore – Syosset, South Nassau Communities Hospital and Winthrop University Hospital.
• Approximately 100 volunteers from the Medical Reserve Corps will be participating throughout the drill.
• Approximately 150 “Evaluators” from Columbia University, Kansas University, the EMS Academy and Fire Academy at VEEB (Vocational Education and Extension Board) will be partnered to facilitate and evaluate this drill.

Reminder to media and the public:  In an actual emergency, the public will be advised to go to designated PODS in their areas, NOT to their local hospitals, police or fire stations.

The following sites will open their PODs to media during today’s exercise.  The Press will have the opportunity to cover this drill from “inside” the various operations at these times only.

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