By Margaret Radford
El Paso County Department of Health and Environment
Just imagine: Hundreds of El Paso County residents are sick, due to a major disease outbreak. You, your family and friends are threatened. Where would you go to get preventative medicine and life-saving information?
You would turn to the El Paso County Department of Health and Environment, which would open up PODs, or Points of Dispensing, to give vaccinations or preventive medicine in your neighborhood. Plans to use PODs to stop the spread of disease outbreaks need to be tested, and that's why the Health Department is inviting area residents to participate in a public health emergency preparedness exercise on Nov. 17 at one of four PODs, which will be located at local high schools.
Besides helping the Health Department as it prepares to protect you, you can get a free flu shot to protect you from seasonal influenza. The shots will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.
" There is a possibility that our community might face a large scale outbreak of a disease, requiring real PODs to be set up to deliver life-saving medicines," said Rosemary Bakes-Martin, El Paso County Public Health Administrator. "These PODs will be most effective if they are located conveniently in neighborhoods. With this exercise, we are testing our planning and preparation to vaccinate a large number of people in a matter of hours."
The Health Department's four PODs, set up at high schools in four sections of El Paso County, will test the department's ability to register, screen and vaccinate about 1,400 people in a three-hour time frame. The majority of the shots are available for adults, but 100 per POD will be available for childrenages 3 and older. This Saturday exercise will call upon all of the Health Department's employees. Also assisting will be volunteers from many agencies and organizations including four school districts, the Colorado Springs Police Department, El Paso County Sheriff's Office, Salvation Army, The American Red Cross, Southern Colorado Medical Reserve Corps, Colorado Mounted Rangers and Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES).
" What we need our community members to do is come to one of these four PODS and receive a free flu shot, which are funded through an emergency preparedness grant," Bakes-Martin said. "This is a great way to get your flu shot this year and help your Health Department prepare for emergencies."
The Health Department held a smaller-scale exercise based on a similar premise in December 2006, providing flu vaccine to about 300 people at a single POD in a northeast Colorado Springs high school. This year's exercise will test your Health Department's systems and plans on a significantly larger scale, Bakes-Martin said.
During your visit to a POD, you also will be provided useful information about how to prepare yourself, your family and our community for many kinds of emergencies, including natural disasters.
"The time to prepare is now, and the best way to get through an emergency and recover well is by planning and practicing," Bakes-Martin said. "That's what we're asking residents to do."
For information about this event, please call (719) 578-3215 or visit the Health Department website, www.elpasocountyhealth.org.
Please note: Participants must be at least 3 years of age, and children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
Free flu shots will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies are available. This emergency exercise is subject to cancellation in the event of bad weather, delayed vaccine supplies or other circumstances. To confirm that the event will occur, please visit www.elpasocountyhealth.org or call (719) 578-3215 after Nov. 12.
The hours at all four PODs are 9 a.m. to noon. Nov. 17, 2007.
The PODS will be at: Lewis-Palmer High School, 300 Higby Road, Monument 80132.
Sand Creek High School, 7005 N. Carefree Circle, Colorado Springs 80922
Fountain-Fort Carson High School, 900 Jimmy Camp Road, Fountain 80817
Harrison High School, 2755 Janitell Road Colorado Springs 80906