CARSON CITY – A team of about 20 Nevada public health professionals recently learned and practiced warehouse skills needed to unload, inventory and ship out massive amounts of medications or other items that could be needed in the event of a public health emergency.
The federal Division of Strategic National Stockpile promises that emergency requests from state governors for pharmaceuticals will be delivered in less than 12 hours. Once the medications arrive, it is up to state preparedness professionals to get the meds to those who need them. Example situations include disease outbreaks, bioterrorism, chemical spills or other emergencies requiring medical supplies that could exhaust local and state assets.
The SNS has never failed to meet its 12-hour promise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of SNS assists states with their role in providing emergency public health support. About every two years, they deliver technical support and advice to state readiness partners by holding 2-day hands-on trainings for requesting states. Proper response involves safely unloading, tracking and shipping out massive amounts of medications or medical supplies quickly and accurately. This kind of exercise is known as the Receive, Stage and Store Operations Course, or RSS.
Nevada’s RSS plan is among the best, says Rick Bishop, RSS instructor from the CDC.
“The level of detail in the Nevada plan is particularly strong, as well as how they tie their distribution plan to the actual point of dispensing (POD) sites," he said. Also, Nevada has done great work forming commercial partners.”
Erin Seward, who manages Nevada’s Public Health Preparedness Program, agrees. “Preparedness requires a great deal of ongoing work and practice. Our team does a great job. Nevada’s response plans are thorough, comprehensive, and regularly updated,” she said.