"Is Anyone or Everyone in Charge? Responding to Regional Catastrophic Public Health Events"

The Middle-Atlantic Regional Center of Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Research (MARCE) is hosting an emergency preparedness conference on February 27 2007 at the Sanford Auditorium, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland: “Is Anyone or Everyone in Charge? Responding to Regional Catastrophic Public Health Events.”

The conference will run from 8:15 AM to 4:30 PM with a light breakfast and lunch included. This conference is by invitation only. Space is limited. Travel and hotel stipends are available for a limited number of participants.

The purpose of the conference is to provide a forum to address the readiness of the Middle Atlantic region to respond collaboratively to a multi-jurisdictional, multi-state public health catastrophic event.

MARCE investigators and emergency response officials from states and localities within the Region, as well as Federal officials, will be in attendance. Dr. Myron Levine, Director of MARCE and Director of the Center of Vaccine Development at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, will make introductory remarks.

Pandemic Influenza and Anthrax will be used as platform examples for the discussion of how natural and man made catastrophic disaster events call for the most careful and coordinated regional response. The scenarios and background materials will be sent to attendees in advance of the conference.

The scenarios and materials will form the basis of a free flowing conversation about critical coordination issues. The discussion will be facilitated by Professor Michael Greenberger, Director of the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security ("CHHS") http://www.umaryland.edu/healthsecurity/. Professor Greenberger has written extensively on effective and coordinated multi-jurisdictional responses to catastrophic public health events. As conference invitees are all experts within their fields, open discussion and participation will be strongly encouraged.

Ten nationally recognized subject matter experts, representing states, localities, and academics within the Middle Atlantic Region, the federal government, and the Department of Defense, will be prepared to field questions and facilitate information exchange. Among the issues to be addressed during the conference are: the need for, and availability of, extraordinary governmental powers; hospital and medical facility coordination and related surge issues; effective use of the Strategic National Stockpile and the availability of other medical countermeasures; mass prophylaxis; regional coordinating agreements, including the use of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact and the National Response Plan; the proper role of the federal government and the United States military; evacuation issues; the effective use of volunteers, including out of state licensure issues; and the preparation and protection of vulnerable populations.

An early RSVP is suggested, especially for those participants who may need travel and/or hotel reimbursement or arrangements. Please alert us of your needs at the time of confirmation.

The Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences is located at 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, Maryland 20814. Complete directions to USUHS are available at: http://www.usuhs.mil/usuhs/location.html

RSVP and questions about this event can be directed to:

Marita Mike, M.D., J.D.
Senior Policy Analyst and Event Coordinator
The University of Maryland,
Center for Health and Homeland Security
mmike001@umaryland.edu