Exercise

The Purpose of Exercising is to test local capabilities in emergency operations. Exercises consist of seminars, tabletops, drills, functional simulations, and full-scale activities. Osceola County conducts and participates in numerous exercises over each year to test efforts in emergency preparedness.

Exercise

Osceola County Emergency Management

(231) 832-6172 P.O.Box 25, Reed City MI. 49677 www.osceolacountyemd.org

Osceola County / Central Michigan District Health Department

Review Summary

· DATE & TIME: Thursday, April 16th 2009

· PURPOSE: The purpose of this disaster exercise was to test local emergency plans and

capabilities to respond to pandemic flu or other large scale health event.

· DESCRIPTION:

MASS DISPENSING SITE (Osceola County Road Commission Building)

One key aspect of preparing for medical surge is the establishment of a ‘Drive Thru’ site to mass dispense medication in a rapid and efficient manner to the public. During this exercise, Central Michigan District Health Department practiced this critical operation with the help of numerous citizen volunteers by establishing a Drive Thru Dispensing Site at the Osceola County Road Commission Building in Hersey Township. Overall, CMDHD directly dispensed medication to over 160 persons in a 2 hour time frame and learned how to maximize operations when needed.

OSCEOLA EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER

Emergency Officials from various agencies took the opportunity to practice coordinating critical actions necessary to provide emergency services and protect the public during a pandemic flu by simulating an activation of the emergency operations center. Examples of critical actions practiced include declaring a state of emergency, re-allocating resources, and coordinating emergency responses.

EXERCISE IMPACT:

Mass Dispensing Site / Flow Improvements

Overall, the process of utilizing a Drive Thru Clinic over the traditional in-house method definitely proved itself as our first and best option. This method utilizes less personnel and resources and dramatically increases the number of persons served In a short amount of time.

This exercise not only proved this as an effective method, but allowed community officials to re-draft plans to further increase proficiency with minor modification in site layout, traffic flow, and on site resources.

Emergency Plan Operations

This opportunity was focused on ‘depth’ in emergency organizations, primarily focused at providing those individuals in the 2nd or 3rd line of succession to practice their roles should they have to respond due to illness or absence of their organizational leaders. Many found it a new experience adding to their education or just as a refresher for their skills.

Overall, several improvements were made in the emergency plan to make it easier for officials to implement critical tasks. Examples included re-organizing the Public Health plan section to graphically reflect drive thru clinic operations, resource support to the clinic site, and public information.

THANK YOU!

Osceola County Emergency Management and Central Michigan District Health Department would like to thank all the volunteer drivers, emergency officials, and agency participants that supported this exercise. Our motto is to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Exercises like this provide us valuable experience if such a situation, or ones like it, were to occur.

With each emergency management activity, we grow as a team and as a community.

THANK YOU!

Osceola County Road Commission

Osceola County EMST

Central Michigan District Health Dept.

Hersey Fire Department & Osceola County EMS

Spectrum Health Reed City Campus

Reed City and Evart Fire Departments

Evart Housing Commission and Volunteers

Mecosta/Osceola Transit Authority

Osceola County EOC Officials

Osceola Sheriff Department and Reed City Police Department