BioterrorPinellas County, Florida simulates anthrax attack
Last Wednesday a local health department in Florida staged an elaborate disaster exercise replete with angry mobs, fainting citizens, and shouting matches; the exercise, dubbed Operation MedStock, gave officials from the Pinellas County Health Department an opportunity to respond to a simulated anthrax attack
Last Wednesday a local health department in Florida staged an elaborate disaster exercise replete with angry mobs, fainting citizens, and shouting matches.
The exercise, dubbed Operation MedStock, gave officials from the Pinellas County Health Department an opportunity to respond to a simulated anthrax attack.
“The point of doing exercises like this…is to learn what the problems are and fix them before we have a real emergency, “explained Stephanie Anspaugh, the planning and logistics coordinator for the program.
Health department employees and volunteers took turns pretending to be victims of a deadly biochemical attack, giving emergency workers hands on experience dealing with such an incident.
The imaginary attack took place at Tropicana Field, the home of the Tampa Bay Rays professional baseball team, while Osceola High School served as the county health department’s point of dispensing (POD), a pre-selected location where health professionals can set up a temporary clinic to distribute medications or vaccines in mass quantities.
During the exercise emergency workers pretending to be infected citizens became angry and began confronting health officials while an angry mob stormed the high school gym’s doors demanding to be let in. For additional complications, other participants were instructed to faint from pre-existing medical conditions.
Anspaugh said that overall she was happy with how the drill unfolded, but admitted that there were certain areas that the health department needed to improve on in the event of an actual emergency.
“I hope that we never ever have to use these plans, but in the event that we face this or something similar, our staff will be better prepared,” she said.
Maggie Hall, the county’s health department spokesperson, encouraged all Pinellas County residents with special medical needs to register with the health department so in the event of an emergency, medical workers will be better prepared to handle their unique needs.
