COTS training prepares hospitals for outbreaks, terrorism, and other medical emergencies
COTS held its annual Medical Countermeasures and Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) Training on 10/23/2018 from 12:00 pm. to 1:30 p.m.
The purpose of this training was to educate our Regional Healthcare Emergency Preparedness (RHEP) coalition about the different types of medical caches available to aid in response to healthcare events such as mass casualty incidents, terrorism, outbreaks of infectious disease or other public health emergencies. The training objectives covered an overview of the available medical resources, how to request medical resources and internal planning for handling resources.
COTS annual Medical Countermeasures and Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) course
The SNS drill was conducted the following day to test the hospitals’ capability to request medical supplies from the SNS cache according to their plans and procedures. COTS, local public health and local emergency management agencies also participated in this drill. The purpose of the drill was to identify specific training and planning areas for improvement.
Overall, the Regional SNS Request Drill was a success. The next step in the process is to complete a written After Action Report and Improvement plan to address areas that went well and improvements needed. For additional information regarding how the RHEP coalition is prepared to respond during events, please visit the COTS Emergency Preparedness site at: http://www.COTShealth.org/disaster-preparedness
Participants of COTS Medical Countermeasures SNS training listen intently
The annual Medical Countermeasures and Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) Training and Drill is a grant requirement funded either in whole or in part by a grant awarded by the Ohio Department of Health, Office of Health Preparedness, Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) and as a sub-award of a grant issued by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) and PHEP Cooperative Agreements CDC-RFA-TP12-1201, and CFDA number 93.074.”
For more information about the COTS and its courses, click here.