Departments
Health and Human Services
Bucks County Health Department
-- Main -- BioTerrorism -- Bureau of Personal Health -- Bureau of Environmental Health --
Bioterrorism Program
Bruce B. Ugbode,
DVM, MPH
Public Health Bioterrorism Coordinator
Phone: 215-345-3325
bbugbode@co.bucks.pa.us
Meredith G. Allen,
MS
Infectious Disease Epidemiology Coordinator
Phone: 215-340-8479
mgallen@co.bucks.pa.us
Bucks County Medical Reserve Corps
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Mission
The Bioterrorism Program was created in the Bucks County Department of Health
(BCDH) in the year 2002, following the intentional release of the Anthrax
germ in several US cities in 2001. The Program Mission is to prepare and
respond to acts of bioterrorism of any type in order to protect the health
of Bucks County residents, which also is the primary mission of Bucks County
Department of Health.
The Bioterrorism Program is also charged with the preparation of
a plan for the distribution of the components of the Strategic National
Stockpile, in coordination with federal, state other county agencies
and departments for the prophylaxis and treatment of county residents
in the event that an act of bioterrorism succeeds, or if there is
a disease epidemic or any other public health disaster emergency
in our communities. The Bioterrorism Program plans are consistent
with those of Bucks County Emergency Management Agency.
Mandate
The Bioterrorism Emergency Preparedness and Response Program was mandated by
the "Public Health Preparedness and Response Act of 2002" (also known as
Public Law 107 - 188, of the 107th US Congress. Sub-title B of this Act also
established the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) Program, and budget federal
support for the implementation of its provisions.
Organization
The BCDH Bioterrorism Program has a Public Health Bioterrorism Coordinator,
who is charged primarily with planning and directing the Program. The coordinator
reports directly to the Director of BCDH, and administers the Program with
an infectious disease epidemiologist, and supported by the Department epidemiology
team, and professional staff. The Bioterrorism Program is comprehensive in
its collaboration with the Bureaus of Personal Health and Environmental Health
for disease surveillance, epidemiology activities, and infectious diseases
and safety of our public water and wastewater supplies, especially with respect
to bioterrorism.
Program Areas
The program activities are organized into the following six focus areas:
- Focus Area A Preparedness Planning and Readiness Assessment
Under this program area, our activities are directed at the establishment of
a process for strategic leadership, direction, coordination and assessment
of activities. This ensures our readiness, inter-agency collaboration and
preparedness for bioterrorism, other outbreaks of infectious diseases and
other public health threats and emergencies. Our activities under this program
area include developing capacity to manage the CDC Strategic National Stockpile,
addressing security issues, and building distribution to areas in need if
it is deployed in our county.
- Focus Area B Surveillance and Epidemiology Capacity
In this program area, we are engaged in activities that enable us to rapidly
detect bioterrorism acts using mandatory surveillance systems, through ongoing
and complete reporting by health providers and laboratories in Bucks County.
Early information of such an act will allow a timely delivery of mass prophylaxis
for the exposed and treatment of the sick in order to minimize consequences.
To further enhance our activities in this area, BCDH has commissioned a Bioterrorism
Geographic Information System (GIS) to enhance surveillance of bioterrorism-related
and other infectious diseases. Surveillance for this Program also is done
electronically in cooperation with the Pennsylvania National Electronic Disease
Surveillance System (PA-NEDSS).
- Focus Area C Laboratory Capacity - Biologic Agents & Focus Area D Laboratory Capacity - Chemical Agents
For these focus areas our response plans include the use of the State Public
Health Laboratory at Exton in Chester County and that in Allegheny County,
PA as backup.
- Additionally, the Department has rapid diagnostic kits for screening
public water supplies by Environmental Health staff in a suspected
biological or chemical contamination site. This rapid screening would
enable a quick and informed public health decision-making by the
county government, through the Director of the Health Department.
Additional arrange-ments for responses to an intentional contamination
event in cooperation with the PA Department of Environmental Protection
have been arranged.
- Focus Area E Health Alert Network/ Communications and Information
Technology
Under this program area, BCDH has been connected to the 24-hour national and
states Health Alert Network. Through this network the BCDH receives alerts related to disease outbreaks
and other disaster emergencies. To enhance these capabili-ties in times of
emergencies the Program has added communications equipment ranging from cell
phones to laptop computers. Through the PA Department of Health, we have also
acquired an 800 MHz radio and 24-hour pagers. The GIS is also one of our administrative
enhancements in BCDH.
- Focus Area F Communication Health Risks and Health Information Dissemination
(Public Information Communication) BCDH has designated and prepared a Public Health Information Communications
Officer. There is also a communications plan for this purpose. This senior
level staff shall channel and manage information meant for the public, media
and co-response staff.
- Focus Area G Education and Training
The Program assesses and coordinates training needs for our county Department
of Health staff, as offered by state and federal departments and agencies
for improvement of our bioterror preparation.
In November 2003 and May 2004, our staff participated in a variety
of regional tabletop and field bioterrorism exercises. These are
designed to improve our collaborative ability with other emergency
responders like BCEMA, Fire Departments, Law enforcement, EMS, hospitals
etc, in the response to acts of bioterrorism.
We recently completed trainings in the establishment of our County Animal Response
Team (CART) to enable us protect our public health and agriculture in disaster
emergencies.
Click on links below for information on the following diseases and resources:
Pandemic Flu
Anthrax
Botulism
Brucellosis
Plague
Q-Fever
Small
Pox
Tularemia
Viral
Hemorrhagic Fever
Additional
Bioterrorism Resources
Bucks County Department of Health
1282 Almshouse Road and Rt. 611
Doylestown, PA 18901
215-345-3318