July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Preparation important in so many ways (02/01/07)
Editorial
There's a catchy rhythm and blues song that goes like this: "It's better to have and don't need than to need and don't have."
That might make a good theme song for efforts by the Hoosier Heartland Chapter of the American Red Cross and the Jay County Health Department to get local officials focused on developing a countywide plan for pandemic flu.
Health department and Red Cross workers were successful in getting a number of local entities to the table last week to talk about how to coordinate response to a flu pandemic. But most area counties are far ahead of us when it comes to putting such plans together.
Locally, the health department, the hospital, the emergency management agency, and the Red Cross have developed plans.
The Jay School Corporation is at work on its plan.
But many organizations and agencies haven't addressed the issue, and there's a tremendous need to coordinate all these plans and test them through a series of exercises.
If and when a pandemic flu hits, there won't be time for planning or testing.
It has to be done now.
What was striking at last week's initial meeting of a Jay County pandemic flu task force was how many local organizations were absent.
Their leadership apparently isn't taking the threat seriously enough yet.
That's a potentially tragic miscalculation.
Given the estimates of the speed and scope of a pandemic, everybody needs to be at the table, working together to assure that the necessary lines of communication, procedures, and responsibilities are spelled out in advance.
All levels of law enforcement, emergency medical service personnel, county elected officials, city and town officials, and business and industry need to be a part of the process.
Is there a chance that this will be a plan that's never implemented? Sure. In fact, we hope that's the case.
On the other hand when it comes to emergency preparedness plans, as the song says, "It's better to have and don't need than to need and don't have." - J.R.[[In-content Ad]]
That might make a good theme song for efforts by the Hoosier Heartland Chapter of the American Red Cross and the Jay County Health Department to get local officials focused on developing a countywide plan for pandemic flu.
Health department and Red Cross workers were successful in getting a number of local entities to the table last week to talk about how to coordinate response to a flu pandemic. But most area counties are far ahead of us when it comes to putting such plans together.
Locally, the health department, the hospital, the emergency management agency, and the Red Cross have developed plans.
The Jay School Corporation is at work on its plan.
But many organizations and agencies haven't addressed the issue, and there's a tremendous need to coordinate all these plans and test them through a series of exercises.
If and when a pandemic flu hits, there won't be time for planning or testing.
It has to be done now.
What was striking at last week's initial meeting of a Jay County pandemic flu task force was how many local organizations were absent.
Their leadership apparently isn't taking the threat seriously enough yet.
That's a potentially tragic miscalculation.
Given the estimates of the speed and scope of a pandemic, everybody needs to be at the table, working together to assure that the necessary lines of communication, procedures, and responsibilities are spelled out in advance.
All levels of law enforcement, emergency medical service personnel, county elected officials, city and town officials, and business and industry need to be a part of the process.
Is there a chance that this will be a plan that's never implemented? Sure. In fact, we hope that's the case.
On the other hand when it comes to emergency preparedness plans, as the song says, "It's better to have and don't need than to need and don't have." - J.R.[[In-content Ad]]
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