Posted at 2:43 a.m., Saturday, June 23, 2007
Health Department here takes part in terrorism drill
Advertiser Staff
HONOLULU – To improve national and local emergency preparedness against terrorism, Hawai'i was one of 10 states to participate in a full-scale emergency response exercise with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Conducted locally through the Chemical Terrorism Response Laboratory of the Hawaii Department of Health's State Laboratories Division, the exercise followed a scenario involving a mass casualty chemical terrorism incident originating in Eastern Oregon.
The Chemical Terrorism Response Laboratory participants provided surge analytical services, received and analyzed clinical specimens, and reported analytical results to the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory.
The exercise timeline was designed to match the expected response to a real disaster as closely as possible. In the scenario (and in a real event), the human specimens are not infectious or contagious. Practicing with another state during training prepares all states to help each other in case of a real attack, health officials said.
The exercise was coordinated by the Oregon and Idaho Health Departments, and took place June 14 through this past Friday.
Public health departments from Hawaii, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Florida, Arizona, California, Mississippi and Montana participated and practiced their emergency communications, specimen handling and shipping, and timely chemical analysis and reporting of test results.
