The Value of Preparedness

The Value of Preparedness

By Governor Dave Heineman

February 27, 2006

Dear Fellow Nebraskans:

Pandemic flu is a topic of serious concern. Health experts tell us that we are over due for a major public health emergency on the scale of a pandemic flu, yet in many ways Nebraska has been working to prepare for a threat of this kind for several years.

We all have an important role to play in preparations for a possible pandemic flu. We have developed a state plan for responding to a pandemic flu, and while we continue to refine our plan, the value of planning at all levels of civic life cannot be overstated. In the event of a pandemic, response at the community level will be critical.

Nebraska's pandemic flu preparations are ahead of the national curve with a state plan ready to help ensure care for Nebraskans in the event of a pandemic. While we continue to refine and update our state response plan, it will only take us so far. It is equally important for individuals, businesses and community organizations to think ahead and be involved in planning for a potential outbreak.

We have worked to put the tools necessary to communicate during a public health emergency in place. The Health Alert Network is one that allows state officials to notify local health departments, hospitals and physicians of important information. When our nation faced a shortage of flu vaccine in 2004, we used the network to assess the availability of flu vaccine, and as a result, knew within hours how much vaccine was available to be redirected to areas without sufficient supplies. This quick sharing of information helped prevent a shortage of flu shots in our state.

Another key communications tool is Nebraska's Telehealth Network, which reaches out to at least 100 locations across the state including hospitals and clinics, public health labs and each of Nebraska's 20 health departments to allow for the exchange vital information in real-time. In an emergency, the Telehealth Network will allow state officials to speak directly and share information with those on the front lines of providing care for our residents.

In response to concerns about the potential for a bioterrorism incident, Nebraska implemented a successful smallpox vaccination program in 2002. More than 1,400 Nebraskans including physicians, nurses, volunteer health care providers, and law enforcement personnel were vaccinated. The end result was that Nebraska was the first state in the nation to complete a vaccination program designed for first responders. This experience provides a framework we could adapt to respond to a flu outbreak in our state.

We have made progress but much remains to be done at the local level to ensure communities and businesses are prepared for the possibility of pandemic flu. Our communities will be on the front lines of a pandemic and will be confronting new challenges. While we need businesses, particularly those that supply essential services, to be prepared and have a plan in place that will allow them to keep functioning during a pandemic, individuals and families must also be prepared.

The critical role of residents in controlling a pandemic cannot be overstated. Individual action is perhaps the most important element of all. It's important we each know the facts when it comes to preventing and containing an outbreak, and I'd encourage anyone with an interest in learning more to visit Nebraska's Pandemic Flu Web site at http://www.hhss.ne.gov/pandemic/.

While it is true that when it comes to an outbreak of pandemic flu, we may never be fully prepared; that does not mean we cannot be better prepared. We know that the emphasis we've placed on planning and preparation has the potential to save lives, and we will continue working to ensure that our local communities take the next step in their preparations.

Nebraskans have always worked together. The hard work, commitment and ability of our residents to come together to do what's best for our state gives me confidence that we can face this challenge as well.

http://gov.nol.org/columns/2006/0227.html