Pandemic Flu: Are You Ready? Tools to help you prepare your community for a flu pandemic Susan A. Schaefer, M.Ed., CHES Hamilton County General Health District Cincinnati, Ohio

Community Description Hamilton County General Health District Cincinnati, Ohio County Population 850,000 Urban/Suburban Five local health departments

Surveys Business, faith, and resident telephone surveys implemented in summer of 2006 Purpose: To gather baseline data To evaluate effectiveness To direct education and outreach efforts General concern, but feeling that there is not much they can do to prepare Corresponding Attachments: surveys, survey results

Preparedness Summit Summer of 2006 CDC and Ohio Department of Health Local public health panel Breakout sessions – government, schools/universities, business, special needs, faith community Binder materials available Corresponding attachments: evaluation, flier, follow-up letter, PR, recruitment letter, cost, and registration flyer.

Establishment of Advisory Committees Faith Business Schools Colleges/Universities Special Needs Coalition

Faith Representing Catholic, Presbyterian, and Non-denominational Message development specific to faith communities Establish communication mechanisms and general understanding on how these groups function within their faith and with other faiths Follow-up faith forums with local public health Corresponding Attachments: messages and forum registration flier

Business Small and large organizations – manufacturing, public library, GE, Ford, Increase awareness through media These business are taking pan flu seriously, are you? Upcoming seminar

Schools 20 schools districts Public, private, and parochial schools Establish required surveillance activities Establish communication channels Nurses training Corresponding Attachment: trigger-action sheet

Colleges/Universities Representation from various colleges and universities Partnering with Greater Cincinnati Colleges and Universities Consortium to host pan flu workshop

Special Needs Coalition Emergency Preparedness Collaborative Survey of Fire and Police Survey of Organizations Three Committees: Self-Care/Sheltering and Evacuation/Transportation, Communication Corresponding Attachments: Survey, survey monkey,

Creation of County-Wide Task Force Representatives from each of the advisory committees and special needs coalition Fire, Police, EMS, EMA, Red Cross, Public Health, Coroner’s office, Funeral Association, Medical Reserve Corps, Government, Health Care, Hospitals, Used target capabilities as benchmarks for progress Corresponding Attachments: presentation and question form

Additional Outreach Community presentations by request HCGHD staff training Distribution of “Go Kits” Corresponding Attachment: Staff presentation

Poster Distribution Groups/Associations: hospital, business, county employees, schools, political jurisdictions Worked with school districts to distribute to business in their area To date 18,000 posters have been distributed

Volunteer Distribution Letter development Script Tracking sheet Certificate of participation Presentations Corresponding Attachments: letter and script, certificate, tracking sheet

Lessons Learned Clearly identify long-term goals and objectives prior to implementing surveys Focus on specific impacts to each sector All the answers may not be available, but it is important to be proactive and tell stakeholders what you do know Take advantage of opportunity to build relationships and infrastructure

Contact Susan A. Schaefer, M.Ed., CHES Health Educator Hamilton County General Health District 250 William Howard Taft Road, 2 nd Floor Cincinnati, Ohio