AGENDA CAPTION:
Title
Consider approval of Resolution 2017-162R, approving an agreement with the Hays County Local Health Department relating to the Strategic National Stockpile Program created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to assist local governments during public health emergencies; and providing an effective date.
Body
Meeting date: November 8, 2017
Department: Fire Marshal Office
Funds Required:
Account Number:
Funds Available:
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CITY COUNCIL GOAL:
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ELEMENT(s): [add the Plan elements and Goal # and Objective(s)]
BACKGROUND:
In the event of an act of terrorism against the U.S. civilian population, an epidemic outbreak, or a major natural disaster, it is likely that the supplies of pharmaceuticals and other medical items will rapidly be depleted. State and local governments do not have the resources to create sufficient pharmaceutical and medical stockpiles in preparation for such events. To address this issue, the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) serves as a national repository of antibiotics, chemical antidotes, antitoxins, life-support medications, and medical supplies. The program is managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its mission is to deliver these life-saving products anywhere in the United States within 12 hours of the decision to deploy.
Each state has established plans to receive and distribute SNS assets to their local jurisdictions as soon as possible after receipt of the deployment. In conjunction with the Texas Department of State Health Services, many local health departments have developed plans to distribute SNS supplies to their citizens. The City of San Marcos (COSM) has developed a plan to provide these supplies to COSM employees. The plan has been named ADAPT; Act, Distribute And Protect our Team. The objective of the plan is to distribute antibiotics or other medical supplies to all COSM employees within 48 hours of the decision to activate the plan.
The decision to deploy SNS assets is a collaborative process decided among local, state, and federal officials. It starts at the local level when officials identify a potential or actual problem that they believe will threaten the health of their community. Once state and local authorities agree that the SNS is needed, the Governor will request SNS assets from the federal government.
Once received from CDC, State personnel then unpack the shipment and deliver the materials to local officials for further distribution. SNS assets now generally come ready to dispense to individuals without further repacking required.
The ADAPT program requires an agreement with the County as the State plan requires that request and distribution of SNS materials flow through county health departments. The ADAPT program outlines the training for City volunteers to setup and operate the plan. It provides for the distribution of needed antibiotics or other medical supplies to all City employees and their families, including City Council members. The program could also be utilized for distribution of other materials or items as deemed appropriate by City staff.