This document provides guidance for pharmacists interested in exploring opportunities in emergency preparedness. It includes a compilation of Web sites, articles, online training and general recommendations to assist the committed pharmacist in independently navigating some of the various resources available and achieve their goals of becoming more knowledgeable, competent and better prepared to play a contributory role when called upon in an emergency situation. View the guide. In addition, explore the role of the community pharmacist in emergency preparedness.

MEDDRUN
The Michigan Emergency Drug Delivery Resource Utilization Network (MEDDRUN) provides mobile standardized caches of medications and supplies to treat approximately 50 patients. MEDDRUN are caches of medications and supplies owned by the state of Michigan, called MedPacks, strategically located throughout the state.  It's important for pharmacists to become familiar with the medical countermeasures contained within these packs. Decisions to deploy, or not deploy these assets may involve the pharmacy department and your input as to whether or not they are appropriate for the specific event may be requested.  Being involved with a MEDDRUN deployment decision also allows you to begin to organize your pharmacy response, and the asset allocations you may soon encounter. These caches are housed with Michigan’s rotary air, and selected ground and emergency medical service (EMS) agencies, to be rapidly deployed during an incident to hospitals and other sites, ideally within one hour of request.
The purpose of MEDDRUN is to bridge the gap in time between local, regional and state resources, and more extensive Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) and other medical re-supply systems.  MEDDRUN can be used to treat:

• Exposure to cyanide, nerve agents
• Organophosphate pesticides
• Toxic industrial chemicals
• Radiological dispersion devices
• Biological events, such as anthrax, plague or tularemia

CHEMPACK
The CHEMPACK Project provides the state of Michigan, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, with a sustainable, supplemental source of federally-owned pre-positioned nerve agent/organophosphate antidotes and associated pharmaceuticals that are readily available for use when local supplies become depleted. As stated above, it is important for pharmacists to maintain awareness of what the cached agents are, where they are, how are they requested and their intended uses. 

CHEMPACK can be used to treat nerve agents (NA) and organophosphate exposures during a large-scale incident.  The CHEMPACK Project makes two types of CHEMPACK container’s or caches, available throughout the state:

• EMS Caches are primarily designed for use by emergency responders at the scene of the incident for up to 454 NA casualties and, therefore, a larger percentage of the antidotes are packaged in single-use auto-injectors.  Additionally, a number of these doses have been modified for pediatric patients.
• Hospital Caches are designed primarily for hospital use for 454-1000 NA casualties and contain more multi-use vials than the EMS caches.  This allows medical professionals to better manage/regulate drug dosing during follow-up and long term care.

Activation:

• Plan and exercise the deployment of these caches within your Hospital Incident Command (HIC) protocol.
• Maintain awareness of medical countermeasure assets and their indications in these caches
• Maintain awareness of the location of activation numbers, and any internal protocol that would be unilaterally activated through your HIC

For additional information, please contact MPA Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Greg Pratt at (517) 420-0789 or GPratt@MichiganPharmacists.org.

Featured in the January/Febraury 2011 issue of Michigan Pharmacist, a COOP will help prepare and protect your employees in the case of such an event, and provides a roadmap to maintain their safety while continuing to serve your patients and community according to your core business values. Use this template as a starting point to create a COOP for your business.

The MI Volunteer Registry was launched January 2006 by the Michigan Department of Community Health Office of Public Health Preparedness. A growing list of willing volunteers from the state of Michigan and out-of-state border counties is currently being maintained.

The purpose of this system is to provide a secure, electronic environment for volunteers to indicate their volunteer interests and contact information. In the event of an accidental, natural or intentional public health emergency, or other public or healthcare disaster, the registry functions as the central location for volunteer information. The information can be queried and appropriate volunteers contacted by e-mail or text pager (if appropriate). 

Individuals interested in volunteering can indicate their interests and contact information in a secure, electronic environment. Using that information, volunteers will be contacted by authorized personnel. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, behavioral health, emergency medical services personnel, ancillary support staff and other individuals interested in helping are encouraged to register. Volunteers will also have access to topical information regarding specific events, exercises and drills, or general knowledge and training.

Join the MI Volunteer Registry.

For those living or working within 10 miles of Michigan’s nuclear power plants, the Michigan Department of Community Health offers a one-day supply of potassium iodide in specific pharmacies. If a nuclear power plant incident occurs, taking the pills is recommended upon declaration of a radiation emergency by local response officials. For more information about potassium iodide, the MDCH program and participating pharmacies, please visit www.michigan.gov/ki. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also offers resources on potassium iodide at http://www.bt.cdc.gov/radiation/ki.asp.

• MI Volunteer Registry
• CDC Emergency Preparedness & Response
• Avian and Pandemic Flu Information
• Michigan Prepares
• Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) Template