United States

Commonwealth of Virginia Pandemic Influenza Plan

The Commonwealth of Virginia’s Pandemic Influenza Plan addresses the Commonwealth’s response to and recovery from a pandemic influenza in a comprehensive and coordinated manner to ensure essential services across all sectors of state government can be maintained throughout the event period, which may last as long as 18-24 months. The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) developed an Influenza Pandemic Plan (Health Component) in 2002, which was subsequently updated in 2006 and 2007.

Meth Lab Hazards to Emergency Responders

In November 2008, two special education teachers in South Bend, Indiana were arrested after a meth lab exploded in their home and caused a fire. According to law enforcement statistics, in 2008 the state of Indiana had a 31% increase in methamphetamine lab seizures since 2007. Recent disruption of meth “super labs” in Mexico may have opened up the market to smaller producers throughout the nation to supply demand for the drug.

National Exercise Program Overview

• NEP encompasses the following:
• Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP)
• Five-Year National Exercise Schedule
• Corrective Action Program (CAP)
• Lessons Learned Information Sharing (LLIS) System
• President George W. Bush approved the NEP Implementation Plan (I-Plan) on April 11, 2007; the Homeland Security Council (HSC) and the Deputies Committee approved modifications to the NEP IPlan and Five-Year National Exercise Schedule in December 2008

U.S. Africa Command Overview

United States Africa Command, in concert with other U.S. Government agencies and international partners, conducts sustained security engagement through military-to-military programs, military-sponsored activities, and other military operations as directed to promote a stable and secure African environment in support of U.S. foreign policy.

Update on the epidemiology and clinical features of Novel H1N1

• January 2007 –“Novel influenza A” made a Nationally Notifiable Disease but CSTE –part of pandemic preparedness efforts
• RT-PCR for influenza capabilities developed by public health labs in U.S.
• Increasing numbers of swine influenza infections in humans being detected from improved surveillance
• Increasing efforts at states, CDC, and USDA to investigate human cases of swine influenza

2007 Colorado Full Scale Mass Vaccination Exercise Plan

This Exercise Plan (EXPLAN) is designed to aid exercise planners in the design and implementation of an effective exercise. An EXPLAN also enables exercise participants to understand their roles and responsibilities in exercise planning, execution, and evaluation. This EXPLAN was produced by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) Emergency Preparedness and Response Division (EPRD) with input, advice, and assistance from public health regional staff in all nine of the Colorado All-Hazards Emergency Management Regions.