INSTRUCTIONS:

A substantive comment should be approximately 450 words or more.

Cite (2 or MORE) sources within your comment to support your statements.

Include at least a couple of references, properly formatted, not just a link.

Discussion: Determining Which Agency Should Command an ICS Post

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel are routinely called to treat and transport patients with infectious disease. This may include a patient with pulmonary tuberculosis or the flu. It also includes victims of a bioterrorist attack. In a biological WMD release, EMS personnel may respond to the initial 9-1-1 call(s) for a patient with a fever and rash illness long before the cause of the illness is known.

In the event of an announced release of anthrax or smallpox into a building ventilation system, exposed people may take anywhere from a couple of days (anthrax) to 7-17 days (smallpox) to become ill. These people may not need transport to a medical facility, but will need to be identified for public health information purposes so they can receive antibiotics or vaccine at a later time.

EMS may be the primary health care provider at these scenes initially and must assure that an accurate accounting of all patient contacts is made and then provide such to public health officials.

• 1. In such cases should the ICS be commanded by a public health official/EMS Chief/MD rather than the police and fire units?
• 2. To what extent should non-medical personnel/managers make medical decisions during a bioterrorist incident?

Please comment on these questions and critique that of at least one other person before the completion of this module.

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Module 3 – Background

LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL PARTNERSHIPS

Required Reading

Disaster-specific memorandum of understanding (2017). FEMA. Retrieved from https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1416583062704-86cb8bebe23906b594ce14860d86f8af/Disaster-Specific_MOU_updated_weblinks.pdf

Emergency Support Function #9: Search and Rescue Annex (2016), FEMA. Retrieved from https://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nrf/nrf-esf-09.pdf

Law enforcement preparedness for public health emergencies: An executive summary of the resources series (2010). BJA-US Department of Justice. Retrieved from https://www.policeforum.org/assets/docs/Free_Online_Documents/Public_Health/law%20enforcement%20preparedness%20for%20public%20health%20emergencies%20-%20an%20executive%20summary%20of%20the%20resources%20series%202010.pdf Read pp. 1-8.

Memorandum of understanding for emergency purchases — City of Santa Monica {n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.smgov.net/uploadedFiles/Departments/OEM/Preparedness/Emergency%20MOU%20template%20FINAL.pdf

Overview of MSCC, emergency management and the incident command system. Health and Human Services (2012). Retrieved from: http://www.phe.gov/preparedness/planning/mscc/handbook/chapter1/pages/default.aspx

RECP law enforcement and coroner/medical examiner subsidiary plan: San Francisco Bay Area regional emergency coordination plan (2008). Retrieved from: http://www.sfdem.org/ftp/uploadedfiles/DEM/PlansReports/LawEnforcementAnnex.pdf
Read the Introduction

Weine, S. (2017). How local law enforcement uses community policing to combat terrorism. Lawfare. Retrieved from https://www.lawfareblog.com/how-local-law-enforcement-uses-community-policing-combat-terrorism

Required Websites

Fusion Centers and Joint Terrorism Task Forces: https://www.dhs.gov/fusion-centers-and-joint-terrorism-task-forces

CA.gov: State Emergency Plan: gov/Operational/OESHome.nsf/PDF/California%20Emergency%20Plan/%24file/CEP-05.pdf” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>https://w3.calema.ca.gov/Operational/OESHome.nsf/PDF/California%20Emergency%20Plan/$file/CEP-05.pdf

Preparing for emergencies: University of California San Francisco Police Department.

http://police.ucsf.edu/index.php?/Preparing-for-Emergencies/emergency-response-plan.html