[E-updates] Community agencies to get bio-terrorism education

[Lisa Patterson]

NEWS RELEASE
Douglas County Emergency Management

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 17, 2002
CONTACT:  Paula Phillips 
(785) 832-2460

Community agencies to get bio-terrorism education

(LAWRENCE, KS) - Staff from several community agencies will spend the
day learning about the threat and possible responses to a bio-terrorism
event in the Lawrence community.  More than fifty people are expected to
take part in an educational seminar coordinated by Douglas County
Emergency Management.  Members from the school district, Lawrence
Douglas County Health Department, Kansas University, Haskell Indian
Nations University, Lawrence Memorial Hospital and city and county staff
have been invited to the educational day.

The daylong seminar will expose decision makers and resource caretakers
to the local, state and national aspects of a bio-terrorism event.  One
component of the day will be a presentation by Paula Philips, manager of
Douglas County Emergency Management, on the local response.  Attendees
will hear an overview of the resources available, the emergency response
plan and the bio-terrorism plan.  The day will also include state
officials presenting information on the state and local responses to a
bio-terrorism event.

The educational seminar is a compliment to a Douglas County
bio-terrorism exercise planned for Friday, November 1.  The exercise
will provide a test of agency specific response plans, the emergency
plan and a draft bio terrorism plan.  An additional benefit of the
exercise is the opportunity for multiple agencies to collaborate and
interact prior to an event.  The exercise will simulate a bio-terrorism
event and help participating agencies gage their level of preparedness.
It will also test of the resources and plans as well as expose players
to the challenges created by an event.

Participating agencies include KU, City of Lawrence, Douglas County,
Lawrence Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff, Emergency Management
staff and volunteers and elected officials from Lawrence and Douglas
County.

The following is the schedule for the educational seminar.
8:30, Opening and welcome, Mayor Sue Hack, Paula Philips, Manager of
Douglas County Emergency Management
9:00, Media, A Must In A Crisis, Richard Brundage, Center for Advanced
Media Studies
11:00, The Terrorism Threat, Dave Young, Kansas National Guard
Noon, Lunch
1:30,The Local Response, Paula Philips, director of Douglas County
Emergency Management
2:15, The State Response, Gene Krase, Kansas Emergency Management
3:00, The National Stockpile, Sandy Johnson, Kansas Department of Health
and Environment
4:00, Closing Remarks, Paula Philips, Manager of Douglas County
Emergency Management

-END-


_____________________________
Lisa K. Patterson
Communications Coordinator
City of Lawrence
PO Box 708
Lawrence, KS 66044
(785) 832-3406
fax (785) 832-3405
lpatterson@ci.lawrence.ks.us
http://www.lawrenceks.org