The Hamilton County General Health District in conjunction with the Cincinnati, Norwood, Sharonville and Springdale health departments recently conducted a series of planning forums for area faith-based organizations.
Forum objectives included:
- Determining communications channels with public health in advance of an emergency.
- Describing local health authority and expectations related to possible closures and restrictions on public gatherings.
- Sharing prevention methods developed by faith leaders in Hamilton County that could be used to reduce illness within a congregation now and in the event of a pandemic.
Morning and evening sessions were held at different locations around Hamilton County. After a brief presentation, participants were provided with materials developed by the Pandemic Influenza Faith Advisory Committee.
Recognizing the importance of including faith-based organizations in pandemic planning, the local health departments formed the committee in October 2006. The committee is comprised of representatives from churches and other faith-based organizations in Hamilton County.
Presentation materials from the faith forums are available at www.hamiltoncountyhealth.org. Contact Susan Schaefer, susan.schaefer@hamilton-co.org, with questions about the forums or materials.
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Submitted by Kimberly J. Smith, Health Communication Specialist - Pandemic Flu Planning
Franklin County Board of Health
Franklin County Board of Health and Columbus Public Health have partnered with more than 60 agencies to form the Central Ohio Public Information Network for Pandemic Flu (COPIN). The group has been meeting for more than a year, planning and preparing for communications needs during an influenza pandemic.
COPIN’s main goal is to provide public information about the measures taken to best protect the health and welfare of the community during a pandemic. COPIN’s objectives are to:
- Inform the public about actions taken and actions they need to take.
- Create confidence in local response efforts.
- Speak with a consistent voice.
- Release accurate, complete and timely information as soon as possible.
COPIN is divided into four subcommittees including the Health Alert Network (HAN) subcommittee, Hotline subcommittee, Joint Information Center (JIC) Logistics subcommittee and Message Development subcommittee.
The HAN subcommittee is contracting with a Web-based system that will allow users to manage their own contact information. Alerts will be sent via email, fax and telephone. The Web-based system will be used mainly for stakeholder notification.
The Hotline subcommittee developed a hotline that will allow the public to call during a pandemic to have both medical and general questions answered. The hotline is designed to minimize non emergency calls to 911 and utilizes existing systems in the community. The hotline uses systems that already exist, specifically the local FirstLink and City call centers.
The JIC Logistics subcommittee is planning and gathering the materials needed in Franklin County’s JIC. The JIC is a central location for all response agencies to meet and work together to ensure unified action and consistent information. Members are also planning for the possibility of virtual (i.e., electronic) JIC and virtual media briefings.
The Message Development subcommittee coordinates most of the written communication required for COPIN’s pandemic flu planning. This subcommittee writes the news releases, fliers and brochures used to inform the public on how to prepare for a flu pandemic.
In addition to the work of these subcommittees, COPIN created a Web site specifically for pandemic flu planning in central Ohio, www.columbuspandemicflu.com.
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Toledo-Lucas County Health Department
The Toledo-Lucas County Health Department has been working to raise awareness of a potential pandemic influenza since late 2005. The Toledo-Lucas County Health Department utilized the http://ohiopandemicflu.gov Web site to identify local planning partners.
Throughout the summer months, the department held seminars for institutes of higher education, hospitals, first responders, schools and church groups informing them of the potential for an influenza pandemic. The department created information packets with specific items for each audience. The health department staff also partnered with the University of Toledo to draft a specialized plan for area businesses. The business plan contains suggested pandemic influenza preparedness activities.
Raising awareness of an influenza pandemic among residents has also been a priority for the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department with the Wash Up, Stock Up and Listen Up campaign. Launched in July 2006, the campaign includes posters, billboards, credit-card-size supply lists, magnets, pens and television ads. The department used innovative distribution methods such as requesting its Division of Environmental Health to ask businesses undergoing an inspection to display the posters.
The Toledo-Lucas County Health Department distributed a family activity card (link to PDF) supplied by the Ohio Department of Health to schools and businesses and e-mailed it to city and county employees. They also continue to work to raise awareness of pandemic flu by speaking to various communities about the disease and how to prepare. They have drawn on various community resources such as the local chapters of the Area Office on Aging and American Red Cross as well as private residents to determine the best methods of distributing materials and information.
Future projects include a community volunteer management program – which is in pilot stage – and an informational pandemic flu summit tentatively scheduled for March.
If you would like more information on preparedness efforts in Lucas County, contact Eric Zgodzinski at (419) 213-4166.
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Lake County Health Department Educates and Collaborates for Success
Submitted by Dawn Cole, Preparedness Specialist
The Lake County General Health District (LCGHD) focused its 2006 pandemic influenza preparedness efforts on collaboration and education. We developed message maps, fact sheets and articles for all phases of an influenza pandemic as well as a crisis communication plan, all of which have been shared with northeast Ohio regional public health partners. We are working with our local emergency management agency director and a consultant to revise the latest draft of our pandemic influenza plan to ensure it is compliant with the National Incident Management System and will be included with the county plans.
LCGHD chairs a Pandemic Flu/All-Hazards Committee that first met in 2006 to discuss various issues pertaining to pandemic influenza planning for Lake County. Membership consists of local law enforcement, fire departments, community groups, funeral homes, government agencies, universities, industry, public utilities, health care agencies, faith-based organizations, school systems and volunteer organizations.
LCGHD also conducted a pandemic flu tabletop exercise in August 2006. The purpose of the exercise was to give the participants an opportunity to test and evaluate plans, procedures and the decision-making processes involved in the response to a pandemic flu outbreak in the Northeast Ohio Regional Medical Response System area. In addition to LCGHD employees, many local businesses, health care providers, government agencies and community organizations participated in the tabletop.
Local agencies who participated from Lake County include: the Lake County Emergency Management Agency, Department of Utilities, Geographic Information System Department, Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities and the Planning Commission.
The Geauga County Emergency Management Agency as well as the Leroy, Mentor, Munson, Kirtland and Concord Fire Departments also partcipated.
Public Health and Health Care Providers who participated include: Cleveland Department of Public Health, Geauga County Health District, Conneaut Health Department, Center for Health Affairs, Euclid General Hospital, Lake Hospital System and Hospice of the Western Reserve.
All participants agreed the tabletop and subsequent discussion were beneficial and would assist them in their own pandemic planning efforts. This tabletop exercise was a precursor to a northeast Ohio Regional Pandemic Flu Functional Exercise slated for February 2007.
LCGHD held a mass vaccination clinic in November 2006 in collaboration with local college nursing students, senior centers and law enforcement and a second mass vaccination clinic in December 2006 to test Secure Wireless Inventory Pharmaceuticals Emergency Response System, a computer system used to track mass distribution of medicines.
The brochure “Get Prepared - What your Family Can Do About Bird Flu” by Ohio Department of Health has been well received in Lake County and local senior centers, public utilities departments, universities and other groups have requested several copies.
Other educational materials ordered for next year to intensify efforts of pandemic influenza planning awareness include the brochures “Pandemic Flu and Hygiene – A Key to Slowing its Spread,” “Seasonal Flu, Pandemic Flu and Bird Flu – What You Need to Know” and “How You Can Prepare for a Flu Pandemic” all by Channing Bete Co. Several copies of the DVD “Why Don’t We Do It In Our Sleeves?” about proper coughing and sneezing etiquette have also been purchased. This video is available from http://www.coughsafe.com.
LCGHD was invited to speak about pandemic influenza for an employee meeting at Kirtland County Club. We also spoke on pandemic influenza at the Lake County school superintendents meeting in January.
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Franklin County Board of Health and Columbus City Health Department
The Franklin County Board of Health and Columbus City Public Health Department partnered with more than 30 agencies to form the Central Ohio Public Information Network for Pan Flu (COPIN). The group has met for several months to plan and prepare for an influenza pandemic. COPIN is broken up into four committees including the Health Alert Network, Hotline, Joint Information Center Logistics and Message Development.
The Health Alert Network committee is building a database of stakeholder contacts that will receive regular e-mail updates regarding pandemic flu. The e-mails will help keep all stakeholders informed quickly and effectively. Faxes and phone calls will be available as back-up systems.
The Hotline committee developed a phone hotline for the public to call during a pandemic to have medical and general questions answered. The hotline was developed to minimize non-emergency calls made to 911 and utilizes existing systems in the community.
The Joint Information Center (JIC) Logistics committee is identifying and gathering all needed materials for Franklin County’s JIC. The JIC is a central location from which all agencies involved in planning can work to ensure unified action and consistent information. They are also planning for the possibility of virtual electronically-based JIC and media briefings.
The Message Development committee coordinates most written communication required for COPIN’s pandemic flu planning. This committee writes news releases, fliers and brochures used to inform the public on how to prepare for pandemic flu.
In addition to the work of these committees, COPIN is creating a Web site specifically for pandemic flu planning in Columbus and Franklin County.
If you would like more information on what the Franklin County Board of Health is doing to prepare for a pandemic flu contact Kim Smith.
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Canfield Township and City of Canfield
Canfield Township and the City of Canfield formed a joint partnership to plan for an influenza pandemic. The committee is comprised of representatives from the Cardinal Joint Fire District; the City Of Canfield police and manager’s office; Canfield Township trustees and police; local emergency management agency; and the Canfield school superintendent.
Planning began by considering what would be most needed for the small township and city of about 14,000 to efficiently care for sick people. Planning is in its early stages and the committee has identified a few needs, including: a staging area for sick people, temporary morgue locations and emergency generators.
The committee is also brainstorming ways to promote emergency preparedness to residents by partnering with grocery stores, schools and utility companies. They are also distributing a disaster preparedness guide to their community.
If you have questions on how Canfield Township and the City of Canfield are preparing pandemic flu contact Chief Robert Tieche.
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Fairfield County
 One of the actions Ohioans can take to prepare for emergencies including an influenza pandemic is to stock up on food, water, medicines and emergency supplies. The Fairfield Department of Health this year dedicated its county fair booth to emergency preparedness. They gave away more than 3,500 preparedness packets and displayed a two-week supply of groceries and supplies, raffling it off to residents who participated in an awareness survey. Kroger stores in Fairfield County donated the goods for the raffle.
Click here to view Fairfield County's action plan.
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Delaware County
Early in 2006, Delaware General Health District (DGHD) provided pandemic flu preparation briefings at 25 public meetings across Delaware County - all seven city and village councils and 18 township trustee boards. The public briefings allowed citizens to receive information and ask questions alongside elected community leaders. Preparedness literature was provided.
The Health Commissioner, Assistant Health Commissioner, Director of Nursing, and Public Information Officer delivered the presentations in two-person teams. One township trustee board moved to authorize their fire chief to expend up to 40 hours preparing a township avian flu plan, which would be shared with other divisions.
The DGHD is now working on plans to deliver similar presentations to large businesses and local community service organizations.
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Last Updated February 15, 2007
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