Findlay, Ohio, Nov. 4, 2002 — The University of Findlay’s Center for Terrorism Preparedness has developed a bioterrorism wall chart that will provide the medical staff in all emergency departments across the United States with a handy reference tool.
Made possible through a grant from MIPT, the National Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism in Oklahoma City, Okla., the wall chart features 12 biological agents and associated symptoms in a checklist format. The chart also contains appropriate infection control measures, covert assault clues, telephone numbers of key agencies and sources where additional information can be accessed via the Internet. Prior to its release, the chart was reviewed by an extensive number of emergency physicians and bioterrorism experts around the country.
Developed by UF’s Center for Terrorism Preparedness, the chart will be sent to more than 5,000 hospital emergency departments across the country.
Because biological agents have varied incubation periods, an attack with biological weapons may not even be discovered for hours or days after it has occurred. Because of the delay between the attack and the onset of symptoms, emergency department clinicians or other medical personnel are likely to be the ones who discover the attack. By the very nature of the care they provide, the local emergency department will be the focal point for recognition, treatment and data gathering, and it will serve as a crticial information source for an act of biological terrorism. To date, the resources to train this segment of the health and medical community to recognize and respond to a bioterrorism attack have been insufficient.
The University of Findlay established the Center for Terrorism Preparedness in June 1999 as part of its National Center of Excellence for Environmental Management. Since then, it has developed a leading role in emergency response training for acts of terrorism involving nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. The training addresses the state-of-the-art concepts related to preparation, management and coordination of the response to a terrorist attack. The center’s programs also focus on hospital emergency room personnel; industry, safety and security personnel; small- and medium-sized city and county public service agencies; and law enforcement agencies.
In October 2001, the Center for Terrorism Preparedness was designated a Center for Bioterrorism and Emerging Health Threats by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). UF’s Center for Terrorism Preparedness is one of only 14 nationwide named as such.
MIPT is a non-profit organization whose mission is to prevent and deter terrorism or mitigate its effects. MIPT conducts and sponsors research into the social and political causes and effects of terrorism. The majority of MIPT’s funding comes through a cooperative agreement with the National Institute of Justice, the research arm of the United States Department of Justice.
The following address leads to the news release on MIPT’s Web site regarding this project: http://www.mipt.org/prfindlay.asp.
