Press Release

NEW PARTNERSHIP OF THE NATION'S FRONTLINE ORGANIZATIONS ADVOCATE FOR COMMUNITY READINESS

Washington, DC (12/11/01) - Organizations representing the nation's front lines of response announced today they are forming a new coalition to advocate for strengthening community readiness for biological, chemical, and nuclear terrorism and other disasters. The Partnership for Community Safety: Strengthening America's Readiness called on federal policymakers to support and sustain comprehensive readiness efforts in the nation's public health departments, emergency departments, hospitals, fire services, ambulance and emergency medical services (EMS) organizations, medical education institutions, and the nursing profession.

While proposals pending in Congress represent important first steps, the Partnership will advocate for a comprehensive and sustained approach to community readiness. Partnership members said the tragic events of September 11 and the recent anthrax incidents demonstrate the urgency for strengthening community preparedness plans to protect the public from acts of terrorism.

In addition to working together to help shape national policy, the new alliance will promote collaboration among its members to retool disaster plans and focus on the need to increase capacity for frontline responders to prepare for the new challenges of terrorism. In addition, Partnership members will work to reduce duplication of effort and develop a "bank" of best practices through exchanging ideas and highlighting model programs. The Partnership also plans to educate the public about local readiness issues.

The growing coalition currently consists of the American Ambulance Association, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Hospital Association, American Organization of Nurse Executives, American Public Health Association, Association of American Medical Colleges, National Association of County and City Health Officials, International Association of Fire Chiefs, and the National Association of State EMS Directors.

The coalition agreed in light of recent events, America must consider new approaches to community preparedness. Although the coalition expects to announce a detailed plan early next year, members agreed that additional resources are needed in the following areas:

• Improve Communications Infrastructure. During disasters, communications often degrade as saturated cellular phone systems and wireless communications systems interfere with public safety communications. There is a critical need to upgrade and modernize responder communications systems and to address interoperability problems.
• Improve Community-Based Planning. Disasters involving terrorism are community-wide concerns likely to require a broad array of resources to supplement the health care system. Local communities also need comprehensive and effective disaster response that integrates the plans of all responders.
• Increase Community Capacity to Deal with Disasters. Community-wide disaster planning will require adequate surge capacity to address the health care needs of large numbers of casualties.
• Improve Disease Surveillance, Disease Reporting, and Field Laboratory Identification Systems. Clinicians must quickly detect, accurately diagnose, and effectively treat uncommon diseases. Improving the capacity of local and state public health departments, public health laboratories, and hospitals to engage in disease surveillance and disease reporting is critical to determining whether a biologic or chemical agent has been released.
• Protect Responders from the Effects of Biologic, Chemical, and Nuclear Agents. Responders must be equipped with the necessary protective equipment and trained in the equipment's use. Responders must have priority access to vaccines, antibiotics, and other resources so they can continue to provide services to the community in the event of a terrorist act involving a biologic or chemical agent.
• Increase and Enhance Training Programs, Continuing Education, and Community Drills for Mass Casualty Incidents. Responders must be trained to detect and respond to all types of potential diseases and disasters in a coordinated and integrated way.

The Partnership for Safer Communities: Strengthening America's Readiness represents firefighters, emergency physicians, EMS providers, hospital officials, medical education professionals, public health officials, and nurse professionals in the United States.

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