Feds hold state-specific meetings

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   At the feds' avian flu site, pandemicflu.gov, you'll see a list of federally organized state-level meetings, who's had them, who's scheduled, etc.

Predictably, Louisiana is among the "not yet scheduled" group.

Anyone been to any of these meetings in your state? If so, are they helpful? What did you learn?

If anybody was involved in getting one  of those meetings to happen, how did you do it???

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Prof.Ferguson Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Adviser Group Joined: April 01 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 171	Post Options Post Reply Quote Prof.Ferguson Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Feds hold state-specific meetings Posted: April 02 2006 at 7:36am
	At the feds' avian flu site, pandemicflu.gov, you'll see a list of federally organized state-level meetings, who's had them, who's scheduled, etc. Predictably, Louisiana is among the "not yet scheduled" group. Anyone been to any of these meetings in your state? If so, are they helpful? What did you learn? If anybody was involved in getting one of those meetings to happen, how did you do it???
	Time's up. It's here. If you're not ready, you should have been - we all were warned.

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: April 02 2006 at 7:59am
	It sounds like the feds are providing essentially the same information for each state summit. What is interesting is how each state is setting up the meeting and using the summit to provide the information to the public. Some states allowed people from the general public to attend and the governor of the state (as well as other health officials from the state) gave state specific information regarding their preparedness plans. Sometimes, what doesn't happen is just as revealing. In my state, the summit was by invitation only (although they did provide a webcast that was not publicized outside of an announcement on the Dept. of Health website). The newspapers had an article the day of the summit stating the summit's focus was on business issues related to BF. During the summit, our governor made an announcement about a new BF research facility being created in our state and how it would bring properity here. If the newspapers, tv, or radio mentioned anything about the summit (after it had taken place), it was only to mention the new research facility. Some states like Florida are also doing follow-up summits by holding other educational meetings to educate the public further. It doesn't sound like our state is going to do much of anything.

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: April 02 2006 at 9:12am
	In Washington, we are scheduled for the 14th. It is an open, no cost registration. Washington seems to have been pretty proactive to date...if you go to the video section there is an amazing video from Spokane health department (largest metro area on the east side of the state) on pandemic influenza that is really blunt. In Seattle, the Director of the Emergency Mangement Department has been saying since last fall that pandemic influenza is the number one threat to the region, and the planners have already mapped out every ice rink in the area and has working agreements to turn them into expansion morgues if necessary. The Mayor of Seattle also held a business roundtable with about 30 of the leading companies in the Metro area on pandemic influenza, what they should be thinking about, and what their plans were. Still lots of details to work out, but awareness and communication is happening among business leaders and public officials. I am going to Washington's Summit, so I will post a summary.

TERMS 1 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Adviser Group Joined: March 13 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 172	Post Options Post Reply Quote TERMS 1 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: April 02 2006 at 12:07pm
	Prof., don't feel to bad about LA, MI ("The Great Lakes State", with all that fresh water) also is not even on their radar. There are also 6 other states not yet listed for summits. But on the sunny side of things Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are already covered.
	Credibility is like virginity, once it is gone- it is gone forever.