Local Emergency Planning Committee
Disaster
Preparedness
You are
invited to a disaster preparedness organizational meeting on
August 10th. In the last century, there were 3
influenza pandemics. In 1918, 500,000 people died in the US
and up to 40 million worldwide. In 1957, there were 70,000
US deaths and 2 million worldwide. In 1968 (Hong Kong flu),
there were 34,000 US deaths and 700,000 worldwide. When a
pandemic starts, everyone around the world could be at risk.
There is no vaccine for the Avian flu.
Discussions between the Knox County
Health Department and the Knox Area Red Cross are continuing
in order to form a plan of cooperation in the event of a
pandemic. It is estimated that 40% of the population could
be affected and, as with all flu, the elderly and children
will be hit the hardest. Should the Avian flu hit East TN,
it is expected that television and radio reports will
increase anxiety among residents and that calls to 911 will
increase significantly. People will be instructed to
self-isolate and to stay away from work. The Knox County
plan includes participation of many members of VOAD
(Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster) as well as
medical and emergency personnel. Red Cross volunteers in
Knox County will assist with the bulk distribution of
groceries and/or prepared meals. It is our intent to form a
Disaster Preparedness group in Union County, made up of a
variety of volunteers, medical personnel, emergency
responders and various agencies, and see if we cannot come
up with a like plan.
I have been asked to
contact: ETHRA, the Mayors, food pantries, representatives
of different churches, DHS, physicians, TDOT, the VFDs, the
Rescue Squad, 911 Dispatch, the Union County Health
Department, the Union County Schools, the Sheriff, the
mortuaries, Humane Society, Sunbridge, the Chamber,
businesses, the home health organizations and TEMA asking
each group to send a representative to an organizational
meeting. American Red Cross Disaster Specialist Mary Beth
Birge will chair this meeting. Linda H. Hensley, Emergency
Preparedness team member from the East TN Regional Public
Health Office, will be attending.
The purpose of this meeting will be to learn to
communicate, collaborate, coordinate and cooperate in the
event of any countywide disaster, specifically a
pandemic. We will identify the areas of expertise of each
group and what they are able and willing to do and outline
the specific functions that each group would be responsible
for. The meeting will allow us to network and know whom to
contact for what in the event of any disaster. For instance,
we may possibly need to identify a location for processing
spontaneous volunteers, another for food distribution, yet
another for food preparation.
The
date for this Disaster Committee is Thursday August 10th
from 10-11:30 AM at the Cherokee Health Center on
Maynardville Hwy.
It will be important to the success of this effort to have
as many Union County people involved as possible.
Please contact me at
DocSwisher@aol.com
to let me know if you or a
representative of your organization will be attending this
meeting on August 10th.
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