Baton Rouge, LA and Oakbrook Terrace, IL – The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals announced the awarding of a contract to Simulation Education Services, Inc. (SES) to conduct specialized training and exercises to test hospital emergency response plans to pandemic influenza in all nine administrative regions of the state.  The contract will require a series of on-site training sessions and webinars to prepare hospital personnel for specific pandemic strategies, followed by a Desktop™ Exercise (a unique SES product) that will be conducted in all nine state regions.  At the conclusion of the exercises, a state-wide webinar will be conducted to share lessons learned, benchmarked data, potential integration issues, and recommended actions for improvement. Joseph Cappiello, President and CEO of SES said, “The awarding of this contract to SES is an affirmation of the commitment that the state of Louisiana has to ensure that their citizens and the organizations that support them are prepared to meet the emerging threat of an influenza pandemic.   It also reflects the confidence that Louisiana has in SES and our unique ability to connect disparate groups separated by geography and culture into a coordinated and resilient population.  We look forward to this challenge and the wonderful opportunity to work with a state that certainly understands the havoc and chaos that could result from such an event.  This state, more than most, is striving to provide its citizens with the best possible solutions to difficult and challenging problems.” About Simulation Education Services, Inc. (SES) Simulation Education Services, Inc. (SES) is a leading provider of emergency preparedness training, exercise, and assessment solutions for public and private organizations. SES was founded in 2005 and has grown since to provide services to over 16 states and almost 700 individual organizations. The company’s service model integrates simple, yet effective communication technology, subject matter experts and event coordination services to bring together disparate parts of the preparedness network chain in an integrated exercise environment. The company provides customized training and exercise content that facilitates the implementation and objective review of plans for responding to and managing disaster situations. For more information, contact: Joseph L. Cappiello, President & CEO Phone: (630) 613-7262 Email: jcappiello@simulationed.com Website: www.simulationed.com