Developed by Texas A&M University’s National Center for Emergency Medical Preparedness and Response The recent worldwide mobilization related to the 2009 H1N1 (North American) Influenza demonstrates that the control of disease in schools is an important component of the overall emergency response of the community. Texas A&M Health Science Center is offering planning sessions (face to face, or via distance education) to assist municipalities in managing school closures due to a major public health emergency. The session is designed to improve the proficiency of school systems, administrators, and faculty in the key areas of:
- Liaison with local public health authorities
- Emergency communications (to faculty, students, and community)
- Coordination with emergency management authorities and other response authorities
- Participation in collective decision making regarding school closure with other response partners
This planning session is designed to connect the appropriate school district and public health officials, along with relevant emergency response authorities to improve local planning necessary to control the spread of disease in school settings. Observations and highlights of the ongoing 2009 H1N1 (North American) influenza outbreak are highlighted within this planning session. The objectives of this program are to assist school districts in planning for a pandemic and assessing their readiness to response to for a major outbreak within their school system. It is also designed to ensure that measures to control an outbreak in school settings and “trigger points” for school closure are clearly understood by all parties. For more information or a proposal for this service, please contact Michael Garvin Phone: 515-321-7000 Email: mgarvin@simulationed.com