STAMFORD, CT -- The City of Stamford Department of Health and Social Services today conducted an emergency response exercise for mass dispensing of oral antibiotics at Stamford High School. Exercise objectives were demonstrated during the event and ultimately accomplished. The City of Stamford Health and Social Services Department successfully provided an effective response to this public health emergency exercise scenario. At the same time, the exercise also revealed ways in which future responses could be made more effective.

The exercise was organized by the Stamford Department of Health & Social Services with support from other city and state agencies. The full-scale mass dispensing exercise was conducted in collaboration with multiple partners including, Stamford Public Schools, Stamford Police Department, the Connecticut Department of Public Health, CDC, Region 1 Local Health Departments (Greenwich, Norwalk, Darien, Westport, Stratford, Trumbull, Monroe, Fairfield), Stamford Medical Reserve Corps Volunteers, and Stamford CERT (Community Emergency Response Team).  The exercise focused on setting up a Point of Distribution (POD) clinic location used to rapidly dispense life-saving medication in the event of a public health emergency and properly communicating with and receiving timely medical supplies from the State DPH.

More than 320 individuals participated including many students and faculty from Stamford High School.  Each volunteer was directed through the screening and dispensing process and received a candy in lieu of real medication.

There were more than 50 Health Department staff and volunteers from Stamford participating as health responders and approximately 30 individuals from the State and other regional Health Departments who facilitated and evaluated the exercise. 

“It is important for the Stamford Health Department and the Office of Public Safety, Health and Welfare to practice for a hypothetical health crisis,” said Mayor David Martin. “This mass prophylaxis exercise demonstrated the City of Stamford’s continued commitment to ensuring the health and safety of our residents.”

The parents, students and residents that participated gained knowledge of why it is so important to provide for the public health of our community.

Some of the capabilities performed were testing plans and procedures for responding to a Public Health Emergency: the City activated its Mass Prophylaxis response plan; essential personnel were activated; and communication with State and Federal partners was initiated to sufficiently staff the POD in the Stamford High School gym.

As individuals entered the POD, medical screenings were conducted. A screening area was created to ensure patients completed all necessary paperwork and received information regarding the event as well as the medication they would be receiving. Individuals proceeded orderly through the stations and mass dispensing was conducted. Appropriate signage and directions within Stamford High School’s gymnasium kept people moving and alleviated people from going to the wrong station or wandering around.

“Public health preparedness plays an important role for the health and well-being of all Stamford residents. In certain types of emergencies the Health Department must be able to distribute life-saving medicine to the public. This exercise allowed the City of Stamford to evaluate its capabilities relative to conducting mass prophylaxis operations in response to a public health emergency. The exercise was very successful. The lessons learned from this mass prophylaxis exercise will build on the capabilities we have developed to ensure that the City of Stamford is prepared for all hazards,” stated Thaddeus Jankowski the Director of Public Safety, Health and Welfare.

Onsite Incident Management was also conducted by the Health Department working as the lead in a unified command in order to safely meet the exercise objectives. Stamford Police personnel were on scene prior to staff arriving and had the area secured for the safety of staff and patients and kept traffic flowing in an orderly fashion 

“The goal of the drill was to test the ability of the health department to quickly distribute emergency life-saving medications in response to a public health emergency.” said Elizabeth Rivera-Rodriguez the Department of Health and Social Services, Public Health Emergency Response Coordinator. “This goal was achieved.”

This statewide exercise allowed the Stamford Health Department to obtain relevant information that will allow them to respond efficiently, effectively and timely.