I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome two new staff members to the OPHEP team. Our first new team member is Lucille Plummer. She’s joining us as a Planning & Research Assistant in our Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) program. Our second team member is Kay Dutrum. She is joining us as Acting Director of OPHEP.
That being said we are bidding a fond farewell to Paul Kuehnert who has been the Director of OPHEP for the last two years. Paul is moving on to become the new Acting Deputy Director of the Bureau of Health (BOH). Best wishes to all in their new endeavors and welcome aboard Kay and Lucille.
There are several ways to prepare for an emergency. One of them is to prepare an emergency kit. This kit should contain everything you and every member of your household needs for at least 3 days. This kit will be invaluable if you are forced to leave your home or if you are forced to stay at home. Here is a short list of some of the items you should have in your emergency kit:
-
Food for each person (non-perishable, no cooking needed)
-
Water for each person (1 gallon per person per day)
-
Infant formula if you have a baby
-
A change of clothing for each person
-
Blankets or a sleeping bag for each person
-
First Aid Kit (including adhesive tape, antiseptic ointment, bandages of different sizes, cold pack, rolled gauze, scissors and tweezers)
-
Battery-operated radio or television
-
Flashlight
-
Batteries for a radio/television and flashlight
-
Small tools (e.g., utility knife, pliers, can opener)
-
Copies of important documents (such as birth certificates, naturalization documents, licenses, passports) in a waterproof container
-
A list of medical conditions, prescriptions and allergies for all household members with special medical needs and at least a 3-day supply of all medications
-
Supplies and equipment for household members with special needs
-
Pet supplies (including food and water, leashes, carriers and records of shots)
-
For a more information about emergency supply kits please visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) website at http://www.fema.gov/rrr/talkdiz/kit.shtm#what
MEPEP
In the past 2 years communities, organizations and agencies have identified a need to have a centralized resource tool to track preparedness exercises across the state. The Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness (OPHEP) contracted with the Bureau of Information Services (BIS) to design a user-friendly, password-protected database that could be used by preparedness planners across the state.
The MEPEP database will be a centralized place to see what exercises are scheduled or have occurred across Maine. It will be a resource to avoid duplication of planning efforts by sharing information and exercise design among various exercise planners. It will also be away to increase networking and participation of various organizations with one another in their respective preparedness exercises.
The actual roll out date of the MEPEP database is mid to late May. It will be located on the OPHEP website at www.maine.gov/dhhs/boh/ophep/index.htm. At that time requests for username and passwords can be made to the Systems Administrator Tara Ranks by phone 207-287-3252 or by email tara.ranks@maine.gov.
Maine’s three Regional Resource Centers (RRC) have submitted purchase plans to address personal protective equipment and decontamination equipment needs for hospitals. The Bureau of Health has approved the plans and the RRCs are in the process of ordering the equipment. Each RRC is finalizing the remaining budget purchases to increase response capacity of the public health and health care systems. Regional Resource Centers will have spent approximately 1.5 million dollars in each region to address capacity needs. The RRCs are also developing regional public health emergency response plans with their area partners to be submitted to the Bureau by June 30th.
|
OPHEP Team Members
- Donald Ward
Director
- Lani Graham
Medical Director
- Kris Perkins
Public Health Preparedness Coordinator
- Jackie Roberson
Strategic National Stockpile Coordinator
- Tom Patenaude
Hospital Bioterrorism Coordinator
- Janet Austin
Planning & Research Associate II
- Tara Ranks
Planning & Research Assistant
- Sue Dowdy
Office Administrator
- Lucille Plummer
Planning & Research Assistant
|
Our Address:
286 Water Street, 8th Floor
11 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333-0011
Phone: (207) 287-3796
Fax: (207) 287-4612
The Department of Health and
Human Services
Maine Center for Disease Control
Comments or Questions:
tara.ranks@maine.gov |
