630 assist in bioattack drill
By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Health Writer
In the largest such drill in Hawai'i, 630 volunteers played victims of a bioterrorist attack yesterday in an emergency exercise to test the state's readiness.
Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser
The drill at the Blaisdell Center called for a major outbreak of pneumonic plague that left 6,500 people dead within a day. The joint local, state and federal simulation called for medicating 53,000 people with drugs flown in from a national stockpile.
William Myers, left, of the state Department of Health, gives antibiotics to Rolando Dongon and daughter Hi'iaka, 3, who played victims of a plague attack for a state bioterrorism drill at the Blaisdell Center.
Volunteer Rolando Dongon, who took his 3-year-old daughter, Hi'i-aka, to the event, said it was for a good cause. As an actor, the 'Ewa Beach man thought it would be interesting. His role was to be a healthy but concerned parent.
Initially Dongon got frustrated when some other role-players appeared confused about what information they could give out.
At one point he sought medication for his daughter. "I actually waited for about half an hour," Dongon said. Then the official gave him 10 bottles for 10 days, prompting him to ask: "This is for a 3-year-old kid?"
Eventually he learned he needed only two bottles. Later, at the information booth, Dongon found someone who quickly summed up what was going on, providing all the key information.
"He made me feel better," he said.
Dongon said the experience reassured him the community is working to be ready for any emergency.
State Health Director Chiyome Fukino said the drill made Hawai'i one of only 10 places in the country to receive a $75,000 training shipment from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For more information on the Strategic National Stockpile and disaster preparedness, visit the CDC Web site at www.bt.cdc.gov
The exercise allows state and local officials to practice dispensing antibiotics, other medications and medical supplies delivered from the Strategic National Stockpile.
Details
Fukino said the state called in the fake emergency at 5:30 p.m. Monday, and the shipment arrived at the airport at 8 a.m., within the 12-hour response window for any state in an emergency.
Paul Effler, state epidemiologist, said the scenario called for two planes arriving in Hawai'i from an Asian country Saturday night to have been secretly attacked with a spray-containing plague. The highly contagious disease spreads throughout the community, carried unknowingly by passengers, airport workers, hotel workers and others, he said.
By Monday morning, the scenario has hospital officials logging an unusual occurrence of pneumonic plague. By Wednesday, officials estimated 53,000 patients had shown up with symptoms, not all of whom would necessarily have the disease.
Officials estimated a real outbreak could cause 40,000 deaths over five days, even with antibiotics available for treatment.
A difficult disease was chosen, Effler said, to test the system. He thanked the 630 volunteers who spent the morning pretending to be victims, saying "their participation was invaluable."
Reach Robbie Dingeman at rdingeman@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2429.
