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2008 Pacific Preparedness Conference: Capacity Building to Address Vulnerable Populations
October 4, 2007

This conference is intended to assist health and emergency management professionals to better meet the needs of vulnerable populations in their communities should a disaster or epidemic occur. Vulnerable populations are those who cannot comfortably or safely access and use the standard resources offered in disaster preparedness, relief and recovery such as the disabled, elderly, children that do not understand the order to evacuate and limited English populations.

The conference will include a keynote address by Dr. Jeanette Takamura, an internationally known expert on gerontology. Dr. Takamura is the dean of the Columbia University School of Social Work and former assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

After the keynote, there will be separate program tracks on Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery for vulnerable populations. There will also be a special track on the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to aid in the identification and response efforts for these populations. The day will conclude with a tabletop exercise based on the conference themes that will integrate information produced during the day by GIS track participants.

More information can be found at the conference website

Upcoming GIS Workshops at UH Manoa
October 1, 2007

Pacific EMPRINTS will be offering more of its 4-day GIS training workshops for public health professionals, first responders, and emergency managers, "Geographic Information Technologies for Emergency Preparedness and Response." Sessions will be held on the University of Hawaii Manoa campus in November, December, January, and February.

This four-day course introduces participants to geographic information system (GIS) and global positioning system (GPS) technologies and their applications to public health and emergency management, preparedness, and response. The course is applicable to a variety of health professions, first responders, and disaster managers and is designed to enhance awareness, understanding, and decision-making through the use of GIS technology and digital mapping.

More information on the class, including current schedules and registration information can be found here

Pacific EMPRINTS wins Special Achievement in GIS award
September 10, 2007

Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc. (ESRI), the world's leading maker of geographic information systems software, presented Pacific EMPRINTS with its 2007 Special Achievement in GIS Award at the 27th Annual ESRI International User Conference in San Diego, California.

Each year, ESRI selects from among its user base of more than 300,000 organizations around the world a number of U.S. and international awardees who it judges to have made extraordinary contributions to our global society and set new precedents throughout the GIS community. Pacific EMPRINTS received the award this year for its work to introduce and expand the use of geographic information technologies among professionals working at the confluence of the health care, public health, disaster planning, and emergency response fields.

EMPRINTS staff Ann Sakaguchi, Phil Page, and John Vogler received the award at the conference from ESRI's president, Jack Dangermond. Royce Jones, ESRI's Hawaii and Pacific regional manager, brought Hawaiian leis for Ann, Phil, and John.

More information on the award and a press release can be found at the ESRI website.

EMPRINTS Online Courses Now Offer AMA/PRA Category I Credit for Disaster Management Training!
The University of Hawaii at Manoa's Pacific EMPRINTS program has entered into a partnership with Yale University's School of Medicine to offer continuing medical education (CME) credits for online courses on bioterrorism and other public health threats. The course list includes knowledge-based, online problem-based learning and/or podcast courses on more than twenty topics such as Avian Influenza, Vaccine Development and Botulism. Each of these courses address the appropriate "Core Competencies for Teaching Emergency Preparedness to Health Professions Students and Clinical Personnel": For every 50 minutes or more of online courses that have been successfully completed, including the post-tests, health professionals are eligible for one AMA/PRA Category I credit from Yale School of Medicine, which is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education. The AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ system has become the CME standard for licensing boards and specialty organizations nationwide. CME credits are available free of charge to participants.

Airport clinic critical in pandemic-flu plan
January 29, 2007
By Mike Leidemann
The Honolulu Advertiser

Hawai'i health officials have begun implementing parts of a statewide pandemic-flu preparedness plan, including the re-establishment of an emergency medical clinic at Honolulu International Airport, one of the first places in the state the flu may show up.

The state Transportation Department this month began seeking a new provider of medical services at the airport. Part of the facility's requirements would be to help DOT officials train staff, educate the public, evaluate passengers who may arrive in Hawai'i with symptoms of a new flu strain and, when necessary, provide emergency medical treatment.

The airport facility and its flu- preparedness duties are just one aspect of what health officials say is the first implementation stage of a sweeping plan approved last year to mitigate the local effects of a possible worldwide outbreak of a killer flu strain.

"We've done the plan, and now we're doing the heavy lifting of putting it into place. Execution is the difficult part," said Dr. Paul Effler, the state's chief epidemiologist.

Unlike the airport facility, much of the other work is being done out of the public eye by public health planners, government officials and, increasingly, local business leaders. Once a worldwide flu outbreak is identified, a big part of the plan calls for businesses and individuals to take extra precautions to ensure the health of their employees and to keep the economy running as smoothly as possible.

"Our whole idea has been to develop a plan that would minimize any disruption to our business in the event of an outbreak," said Ray Trombley, corporate business continuity manager for Bank of Hawaii, one of the first Hawai'i companies to develop a comprehensive strategy for dealing with a pandemic.

20,000 Visitors Each Day
A pandemic is any disease outbreak that spreads over a wide geographic area and affects a large proportion of the population. In 1918-1919, for instance, an influenza pandemic killed between 20 million and 40 million people worldwide and about 500,000 in the United States. Health officials fear that a similar outbreak today could spread far more quickly around the world and cause even more deaths.

In November 2005, Hawai'i became the first state to screen incoming passengers on a voluntary basis for signs of bird flu or other viruses. The state, with about 1.3 million residents, has about 20,000 airline passengers every day.

The Honolulu airport lost its emergency medical provider late last year when a contract with The Queen's Medical Center was not renewed. Since then, police, fire and trained airport personnel have been the primary providers of medical services while the state seeks a new clinic operator, said DOT spokesman Scott Ishikawa.

"The primary responsibility is to provide emergency medical care at the airport in the event of an accident or disaster," Ishikawa said.

But the DOT's new guidelines also will require the company to assist the state in meeting its pandemic preparedness goals by collecting disease data and diagnostic specimens, and enacting preventive measures and treatments. State officials hope to have the new service in place by April, Ishikawa said.

Meanwhile, Health Department officials have made significant progress in implementing other parts of the plan approved last summer, Effler said.

Drugs Stockpiled
Among the accomplishments so far, according to Effler: the stockpiling of enough anti-viral drugs to treat at least a quarter of the state's resident and visitor population, development of a laboratory capability in Hawai'i to test for avian and other flu strains, an improved system to have doctors report early signs of a severe flu outbreak, and an increasing effort to take anti-flu planning beyond the government and into the business and education communities.

"Many of the things that should be done in a pandemic are the same ones that are prudent to do now" to reduce chances of getting a less severe seasonal flu, he said. The winter flu season in Hawai'i has been relatively mild so far, in part because there are more than adequate vaccine supplies available, he noted.

"We need to start changing the etiquette so that things like covering your mouth when you cough, washing your hands, and not showing up for work when you are sick become second nature right now," he said.

Reducing Contact Key
If a pandemic flu does strike, social distancing ó reducing the number of people gathered in different places ó will be a key element in containing it, Effler said.

At the Bank of Hawaii, which has about 3,000 employees, officials have already developed individual preparedness plans to cover almost 40 branches and other business units. The plans rely heavily on reducing contact between essential employees during an outbreak, Trombley said.

"Our No. 1 goal is to control the spread of the infection," he said.

The bank's plans include quickly implementing restrictions on all-but-essential business travel, limiting group meetings, updating security procedures,expanding leadership succession lists and dispersing staff.

Source: http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Jan/29/ln/FP701290325.html

Import of avian flu virus approved
January 24, 2007
By Sean Hao
The Honolulu Advertiser

The avian flu virus will be imported to Hawai'i to train local scientists on how to identify the disease.

The state Board of Agriculture voted 6-1 yesterday to allow the University of Hawai'i to import the virus, which could arrive within several months.

The university wants to develop expertise on detecting the potentially lethal virus, which health officials fear could be the source of a future pandemic. Detecting the virus at a local lab could save time and prevent the virus from spreading, proponents said. Currently, if health officials suspect the avian flu virus has arrived in Hawai'i, samples must be sent to the Mainland for testing.

The UH avian flu project would last for five years and be conducted within a laboratory at the medical school's Kaka'ako campus.

Critics of UH's plan contend that the university should study the virus in Asia and other locations where it already has been discovered, rather than bring it into Hawai'i.

State Sen. Gordon Trimble, R-12th (Waikiki, Ala Moana, Downtown), testified against importing the virus, saying it could damage the image of Hawai'i as a safe tourist destination. The research should not be conducted in a tsunami zone or within close proximity to Waikiki, he said.

"To permit research within a mile and a half of this location runs the risk of rumor," Trimble said.

The board also received about 30 written testimonies, with most opposing importing the virus.

Vivek Nerurkar, a virologist at the University of Hawai'i, said importing the avian flu is needed to train scientists on how to detect the virus when there is a suspicion that it has spread to Hawai'i.

It's inevitable that the avian flu will eventually arrive in Hawai'i carried by infected migratory birds, said Nerurkar. "It will come here; it's just a question of when," said Nerurkar.

If that happens, timely discovery of the flu could prevent the spread of the disease, he said. Currently, the determination of whether a human sample contains the bird flu must be made at a Mainland lab, which could take a week or more, said Nerurkar. If there were a pandemic, it could take even longer to receive results, which could delay a response to an outbreak.

"It's best to do that in the state of Hawai'i," said Nerurkar. "There is no way in a pandemic situation that the U.S. system can handle the analysis."

The avian flu has circulated through bird populations in Asia and parts of Europe but has yet to make an appearance in North America.

While the avian, or bird, flu spreads readily among birds, instances of human-to-human spread of the disease are rare. However, when humans contract the avian flu, the mortality rate is 60 percent, which makes the flu especially deadly.

So far, humans have contracted the virus mainly through contact with poultry. However, health officials worry the avian flu could evolve into a strain that would be highly contagious, possibly leading to a worldwide pandemic. There is no human immunity to the highly pathogenic form of the virus known as H5N1 and no vaccine is available, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Under permit conditions imposed by the Board of Agriculture, UH will conduct laboratory research and inoculation studies only on mice. The permit also places numerous restrictions on the handling and disposal of the virus, which would be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and various other laboratories and medical centers worldwide.

Currently, the main source of human infection from the H5N1 virus is close contact with dead or sick birds, according to the World Health Organization. People are especially at risk if they slaughter, defeather, butcher or prepare the infected birds for food. Some 267 people worldwide have been infected by avian flu and 161 have died, WHO reported.

If the current H5N1 virus were introduced into Hawai'i via migratory birds, the impact to humans would be minimal, according to the state Department of Agriculture, since currently the disease does not easily spread among humans. However, the potential impact to Hawai'i's poultry industry could be great. Feral chickens also could be affected, according to the department.

Board member Laurie Ho, who voted against the project, said she did not feel the board was provided sufficient information about the potential impact on native birds if the avian flu imported by UH escaped the laboratory.

UH officials said laboratories that will conduct bird flu research will take numerous measures to secure against natural disaster and terrorist attack. Even if the avian flu escaped from the laboratory, it would quickly die without refrigeration, Nerurkar said.

Someone could "take it out, but if they take it out at room temperature, it won't last long," he said. "Our facility that we have is safe."

Source: http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Jan/24/bz/FP701240363.html

Upcoming GIS workshops on Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island

New online course for dental professionals: Emergency Preparedness for the Dental Profession
November 1, 2006

Pacific EMPRINTS has released a new online course offering entitled "Emergency Preparedness for the Dental Profession."

It is designed to give you a brief overview of CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive) agents, and the role that the dental profession plays in preparing for and managing CBRNE events. By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. List the major classes of weapons and several characteristics associated with them.
2. Describe the functional response roles that dentists may take in the event of an emergency.

This course fulfills, in part, the following Core Competencies for Teaching Emergency Preparedness to Health Professions Students and Clinical Personnel:

1. List the major classes of weapons and prevention strategies for each of them.
2. Describe the functional response roles of for oneís profession.

This course is designed especially for dentists, dental hygienists, and other public health personnel. A Certificate of Completion is available to be printed for this course upon completion of the post-test with a score of 80% or higher.

This course is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration Grant No. T01HP6427-0100.

New online course: Scrub Typhus in the Pacific: Applying the Knowledge
October 13, 2006

Pacific EMPRINTS has released a new online course offering entitled "Scrub Typhus in the Pacific: Applying the Knowledge."

It is a modified version of a Problem-Based Learning or PBL case previously completed by multidisciplinary groups of health care students and professionals. PBL is a process of self-directed learning through identification and research of issues relevant to particular disciplines. This particular case explores the questions and consequences evoked by a case of Scrub Typhus in the Republic of Palau. By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Identify significant signs and symptoms that lead to a diagnosis of Scrub Typhus.
2. Take appropriate preventative measures to reduce the likelihood of contracting Scrub Typhus.

This course fulfills, in part, the following Core Competencies for Teaching Emergency Preparedness to Health Professions Students and Clinical Personnel:

1. Demonstrate the ability to take medical histories that identify symptoms associated with exposure to CBRNE agents.
2. Demonstrate the ability to rule out, when possible, or determine an accurate diagnosis of exposure to CBRNE agents.

This course is designed for all healthcare professionals, especially physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, veterinarians, Emergency Medical Services personnel, and other Public Health personnel. A Certificate of Completion is available to be printed for this course upon completion of the post-test with a score of 80% or higher.

This course is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration Grant No. T01HP6427-0100.

Online course announcement: Cholera in the Pacific: Applying the Knowledge
October 1, 2006

Pacific EMPRINTS has released a new online course offering entitled "Cholera in the Pacific: Applying the Knowledge."

It is a modified version of a Problem-Based Learning or PBL case previously completed by multidisciplinary groups of health care students and professionals. PBL is a process of self-directed learning through identification and research of issues relevant to particular disciplines. This particular case explores the questions and consequences evoked by a potential outbreak of cholera in the Marshall Islands. By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Identify significant signs and symptoms that lead to a diagnosis of cholera.
2. Institute appropriate public health prevention measures to stop a cholera outbreak.

This course fulfills, in part, the following Core Competencies for Teaching Emergency Preparedness to Health Professions Students and Clinical Personnel:

1. Demonstrate the ability to take medical histories that identify symptoms associated with exposure to CBRNE agents.
2. Demonstrate the ability to rule out, when possible, or determine an accurate diagnosis of exposure to CBRNE agents.
3. Describe the public health interventions that are part of a response to surveillance signals.

This course is designed for all healthcare professionals, especially physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, veterinarians, Emergency Medical Services personnel, and other Public Health personnel. A Certificate of Completion is available to be printed for this course upon completion of the post-test with a score of 80% or higher.

This course is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration Grant No. T01HP6427-0100.

Live Multidisciplinary Training Scenario at Kapi'olani Community College
September 13, 2006
Kapiíolani Community College
Honolulu, Hawaii

Pacific EMPRINTS presents a 4 hour Live Multidisciplinary Training Scenario designed in part by EMPRINTS trainers Carter Davis, Barbara Brennan, and Edward Kalinowski.

Live Training Scenarios are mock emergency scenarios that allow different agencies to work together to deal with the aftermath of potential emergency situations that they may eventually have to deal with in their actual work environments. This scenario will involve over 150 personnel from Emergency Medical Services and Mobile Vaccination Teams, the Honolulu Fire Department and HAZMAT Team, and the Honolulu Police Department in response to a mock terrorist situation, with victims played by Emergency Medical Services students from Kapiíolani Community College. Observers will be allowed to don special vests that mark them as non-participants in the exercise. Scenarios are not announced beforehand to ensure that participants do not have time to prepare for the exercise, in order to better mimic the surprise element of bioterrorism.

This Live Multidisciplinary Training Scenario will be held at Kapi'olani Community College on Wednesday, September 13, 2006, and will unfold in real time until all "victims" have been triaged and transported to other medical care. Following the scenario there will be a debriefing to discuss the successes and failures of the exercise. For more information, please call 808-956-0891 or email emprints@hawaii.edu.

Pacific EMPRINTS general disaster preparedness course offered at Kapi'olani Community College Emergency Medical Services
August 17, 2006
Kapiíolani Community College
Honolulu, Hawaii

Pacific EMPRINTS trainers Carter Davis, HAZMAT specialist, and Barbara Brennan, Live Training Event Coordinator, will deliver a 4 hour general "Disaster Preparedness" course to healthcare professionals at Kapiíolani Community College.

Carter Davis has a diverse background in emergency medical services, emergency management and fire safety. He has been an EMS instructor for 20+ years here in Hawaii, on the mainland US and in the Pacific Rim, and has held leadership roles in training, management, planning and preparedness, quality assurance and community outreach. He is also a member of the Hawaii Urban Search and Rescue Team and a certified train-the-trainer for FEMA, Red Cross, National Fire Academy, International Association of Fire Fighters and much more.

Barbara Brennan is nationally recognized for her expertise in Weapons of Mass Destruction and Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Incidents. She is one of few who have successfully completed the personal development series and the Hazard series at the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland. She has coordinated local training scenarios/exercises for Emergency Medical Services personnel since 1982. The exercises have included many different local, county and state agencies. In addition, she maintains certification as BCLS Instructor Trainer, Advanced Cardiac Life Support Instructor, Pediatric Advanced Life Support Instructor, Prehospital Trauma Life Support Instructor, Pediatric Education for Prehospital Professionals Instructor Trainer and Advanced Life Support Instructor Trainer. Ms. Brennan has taught at the First Responder, Emergency Medical Technical-Basic and Intermediate and Paramedic levels. She is also responsible for coordinating continuing medical education credits for classes targeted to EMS personnel.

This disaster preparedness course will be held at Kapiíolani Community College on Thursday, August 17, 2006. Continuing Education credit will be available for those who sign up. For more information, please call 808-956-9490 or email emprints@hawaii.edu.

New online course: Avian Influenza in Hawaii: Applying the Knowledge
August 14, 2006

Pacific EMPRINTS has released a new online course offering entitled "Avian Influenza in Hawaii: Applying the Knowledge."

It is a modified version of a Problem-Based Learning or PBL case previously completed by multidisciplinary groups of health care students and professionals. PBL is a process of self-directed learning through identification and research of issues relevant to particular disciplines. This particular case explores the questions and consequences evoked by the potential arrival of Avian Influenza in the Hawaiian Islands. By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Identify significant signs and symptoms that lead to a diagnosis of Avian Influenza.
2. Appropriately treat individuals who have been exposed to Avian Influenza.

This course fulfills, in part, the following Core Competencies for Teaching Emergency Preparedness to Health Professions Students and Clinical Personnel:

1. Demonstrate the ability to take medical histories that identify symptoms associated with exposure to CBRNE agents.
2. Demonstrate the ability to rule out, when possible, or determine an accurate diagnosis of exposure to CBRNE agents.

This course is designed for all healthcare professionals, especially physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, veterinarians, Emergency Medical Services personnel, and other Public Health personnel. A Certificate of Completion is available to be printed for this course upon completion of the post-test with a score of 80% or higher.

This course is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration Grant No. T01HP6427-0100.

New online course: Introduction to Avian Influenza for Hawaii
August 10, 2006

Pacific EMPRINTS has released a new online course offering entitled "Introduction to Avian Influenza for Hawaii."

It is composed of two tutorial courses. The first is designed to give you a basic overview of influenza and its relationship to avian influenza. The second tutorial course illustrates the importance of avian influenza to discussions of public health, and some treatment and prevention strategies against avian influenza. By the end of this course, participants will:

1. Gain an understanding of how Avian Influenza (AI) could pose a threat to the publicís health.
2. Gain an understanding of what AI is and how it relates to human influenza.
3. Gain knowledge of the epidemiology and transmissibility of AI.

This course fulfills, in part, the following Core Competencies for Teaching Emergency Preparedness to Health Professions Students and Clinical Personnel:

1. Lists the governmental resources and outline the regulatory issues associated with emergency management and preparedness.
2. Lists and describes the public health interventions that are part of a response to surveillance signals.

This course is designed for all healthcare professionals, especially physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, veterinarians, Emergency Medical Services personnel, and other Public Health personnel. A Certificate of Completion is available to be printed for this course upon completion of the post-test with a score of 80% or higher.

This course is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration Grant No. T01HP6427-0100.

Pacific EMPRINTS sponsors Pacific Island Avian Influenza Training Workshops
August 1-5, 2006
University of Hawaii Manoa
Honolulu, Hawaii

Pacific EMPRINTS presents two concurrent Avian Influenza Training Workshops, co-sponsored by the Agricultural Development in the American Pacific (ADAP) project. The two workshops will train paraveterinarians and public health workers from the U.S. Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI) on how best to respond to Avian Influenza (AI) cases on their islands.

The paravets, likely first "points of contact" in the event of a suspected AI outbreak, will receive a 5-day intensive course on disasters, personal protection equipment, AI response, sample testing and shipping, GPS tracking, GPS instruction for collecting location-based information on dead birds, sick birds, environmental samples, and reporting. Twenty-two participants from the Pacific Islands will be invited to attend this workshop.

The concurrent second workshop will initiate and/or build a GIS/GPS plotting and reporting skill base among public health staff in the USAPI to enhance monitoring, reporting, and eradication efforts in the event of an outbreak. Sixteen participants from the Pacific Islands will be invited to attend this workshop.

Partners in bringing these workshops to fruition include the governments and the Land Grant colleges of American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam. Additionally, the Honolulu Fire Department, the Department of Agriculture in Guam, the Department of Agriculture in Hawaii, USDA-APHIS Hawaii and Seattle, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geological Survey , UH College of Social Sciences and the UH College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources have also been instrumental.

The 5-day workshops will be held from 8:00-5:00 PM on the University of Hawaii at Manoa campus, Biomedical Sciences Building, on Tuesday-Saturday, August 1-5, 2006. For more information, please call 808-956-9530 or email emprints@hawaii.edu.

New online course on Ricin
July 10, 2006

Pacific EMPRINTS announces the availability of a new course entitled "Ricin" in their online, web-based learning system.

The course provides a brief overview of the routes of infection associated with this Category B agent, its uses as a bioweapon, and its clinical presentation and treatment. By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. List the three routes of infection for the ricin toxin.
2. Identify the appropriate personal protective equipment for use with ricin-infected patients.

This course fulfills, in part, the following Core Competencies for Teaching Emergency Preparedness to Health Professions Students and Clinical Personnel:

1. List the Category B agents.
2. Knowledge of the pharmaceutics and pharmaceuticals used to combat CBRNE agents.

This course is designed for all healthcare professionals, especially physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, veterinarians, Emergency Medical Services personnel, and other Public Health personnel. A Certificate of Completion is available to be printed for this course upon completion of the post-test with a score of 80% or higher.

This course is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration Grant No. T01HP6427-0100.

New online course on Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers
July 10, 2006

Pacific EMPRINTS announces the availability of a new course in their online, web-based learning system.

This course provides a brief overview of viral hemorrhagic fevers as Category A biological agents. This course covers the families of viruses, their general epidemiology, routes of infection, clinical presentations and treatments. It also looks at several specific viral hemorrhagic fevers, such as Ebola, Marburg and Lassa Fevers. By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. List the four families of viral hemorrhagic fevers.
2. Identify the main differential diagnosis for viral hemorrhagic fevers.
3. Identify the only pharmaceutical treatment available for viral hemorrhagic fevers.

This course fulfills, in part, the following Core Competencies for Teaching Emergency Preparedness to Health Professions Students and Clinical Personnel:

1. List the Category A biological agents and describe their epidemiology, associated illnesses, and treatments.
2. Knowledge of the pharmaceutics and pharmaceuticals used to combat CBRNE agents.

This course is designed for all healthcare professionals, especially physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, veterinarians, Emergency Medical Services personnel, and other Public Health personnel. A Certificate of Completion is available to be printed for this course upon completion of the post-test with a score of 80% or higher.

This course is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration Grant No. T01HP6427-0100.

Disaster Preparedness Training for the Dental Profession lecture at the Hawaii Dental Hygienists Association
July 8, 2006
Hawaii Dental Hygienist Conference
Honolulu, Hawaii

Pacific EMPRINTS affiliates Carter Davis, HAZMAT specialist and John Casken, RN, MPH, PhD, will deliver a lecture to the Hawaii Dental Hygienists Association entitled "Disaster Preparedness Training for the Dental Profession." This lecture is a general awareness course designed to help familiarize dental professionals with infectious diseases, bioterrorism, and radiological vulnerabilities and learn about continuing education resources for these evolving risks.

Carter Davis has a diverse background in emergency medical services, emergency management and fire safety. He has been an EMS instructor for 20+ years here in Hawaii, on the mainland US and in the Pacific Rim, and has held leadership roles in training, management, planning and preparedness, quality assurance and community outreach. He is also a member of the Hawaii Urban Search and Rescue Team and a certified train-the-trainer for FEMA , Red Cross, National Fire Academy, International Association of Fire Fighters and much more.

Dr. Casken, a faculty member with the School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene at the University of Hawaii Manoa, is also the Director of the Office of International Affairs. He has a long interest in bioterrorism and disaster preparedness, with a special interest in the political and economic ramifications of these issues as well as the more practical side of the role of the nursing profession in dealing with natural and man-made disasters.

This lecture will be given at the Dental Hygienist Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Saturday, July 8, 2006. Attendance is contingent upon registration for the conference. For more information, please call 808-956-9490 or email emprints@hawaii.edu.

New online courses: Tularemia and Botulism
June 19, 2006

Pacific EMPRINTS announces the availability of two new courses in their online, web-based learning system

The "Tularemia" course provides a brief overview of the epidemiology, associated illnesses, prevention and treatment of tularemia, a bacterial zoonosis transmitted from animals to humans that has the potential to be used as a biological weapon of terror. By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. List three ways that tularemia can be naturally contracted
2. Identify the most dangerous clinical syndrome associated with tularemia
3. Identify the antibiotics commonly used to treat tularemia

The "Botulism" course provides a brief overview the Category A biological agent botulism. This course covers the forms of botulism, its use as a bioweapon, Botox, its clinical presentation and treatment of botulism poisoning. By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. List the three forms of botulism
2. List two signs of a potential botulism biological attack
3. Identify the pharmaceutical treatment appropriate for a case of botulism

These courses fulfill, in part, the following Core Competencies for Teaching Emergency Preparedness to Health Professions Students and Clinical Personnel:

1. List the Category A biological agents and describe their epidemiology, associated illnesses, and treatments.
2. Knowledge of the pharmaceutics and pharmaceuticals used to combat CBRNE agents.

These courses are designed for all healthcare professionals, especially physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, veterinarians, Emergency Medical Services personnel, and other Public Health personnel. A Certificate of Completion is available to be printed for this course upon completion of the post-test with a score of 80% or higher.

These courses are funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration Grant No. T01HP6427-0100.

New online courses: Anthrax and Plague
June 12, 2006

Pacific EMPRINTS announces the availability of two new courses in their online, web-based learning system

The "Anthrax" course provides a brief overview of the Category A biological agent anthrax. This course covers cutaneous, gastrointestinal and inhalational anthrax, gives treatment recommendations for the different types of anthrax exposures, and discusses the anthrax vaccine. By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. List the three types of anthrax exposure
2. List the two antibiotics commonly recommended for anthrax treatment
3. List the pros and cons of utilization of the anthrax vaccine.

The "Plague" course provides a brief overview of the Category A biological agent plague. This course covers the different types of plague with a focus on pneumonic plague. It covers pneumonic plagueís signs and symptoms, diagnosis, mortality rate and treatment. By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. List the three types of plague
2. List the preferred antibiotics for treatment of plague

These courses fulfill, in part, the following Core Competencies for Teaching Emergency Preparedness to Health Professions Students and Clinical Personnel:

1. List the Category A biological agents and describe their epidemiology, associated illnesses, and treatments.
2. Knowledge of the pharmaceutics and pharmaceuticals used to combat CBRNE agents.

These courses are designed for all healthcare professionals, especially physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, veterinarians, Emergency Medical Services personnel, and other Public Health personnel. A Certificate of Completion is available to be printed for this course upon completion of the post-test with a score of 80% or higher.

These courses are funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration Grant No. T01HP6427-0100.

New online course: Introduction to Bioterrorism in Hawaii
June 1, 2006

Introduction to Bioterrorism for Hawaii: Pacific EMPRINTS has released a new online course offering entitled ìIntroduction to Bioterrorism in Hawaii.î It is designed to give you a brief overview of the history of bioterrorism, biological agents currently of the greatest concern, main routes of infection, and overall preparedness efforts of the United States and specifically, Hawaii.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Understand the Centers for Disease Control and Preventionís Category A, B & C biological agent designations.
2. List the three routes of infection for biological agents.
3. List three issues that Hawaii needs to overcome in order to be prepared for disaster.

This course fulfills, in part, the following Core Competencies for Teaching Emergency Preparedness to Health Professions Students and Clinical Personnel:

1. Preparedness Evaluation: Describe evaluation activities.
2. List the major classes of weapons and prevention strategies for each of them.

This course is designed for all healthcare professionals, especially physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, veterinarians, Emergency Medical Services personnel, and other Public Health personnel. A Certificate of Completion is available to be printed for this course upon completion of the post-test with a score of 80% or higher.

This course is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration Grant No. T01HP6427-0100.

Pacific EMPRINTS announces new Online Learning System
May 31, 2006

Pacific EMPRINTS announces the availability of a new online, web-based learning system that will provide healthcare professionals and public health personnel with a new opportunity for continuing education about public health, disaster planning, and emergency response right from their homes or offices. The online courses available via the Pacific EMPRINTS website will help healthcare professionals in Hawaii, California and other geographical locations to better recognize and respond to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive events and to other large scale public health emergencies.

Each course takes an average of 30 minutes to complete, and consists of a multimedia presentation of slides narrated in lecture format. A Certificate of Completion will be available to be printed for each course upon completion of a post-test with a score of 80% or higher.

Learn more about the online learning system here.

These courses are funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration Grant No. T01HP6427-0100.

Live Multidisciplinary Training Scenario at the Waipio Soccer Complex
May 4, 2006
Waipio Soccer Complex
Honolulu, Hawaii
Pacific EMPRINTS presents a 4 hour Live Multidisciplinary Training Scenario designed in part by EMPRINTS affiliates Carter Davis, Barbara Brennan, and Edward Kalinowski.

Live Training Scenarios are mock emergency scenarios that allow different agencies to work together to deal with the aftermath of potential emergency situations that they may eventually have to deal with in their actual work environments. This scenario will involve over 150 personnel from Emergency Medical Services and Mobile Vaccination Teams, the Honolulu Fire Department and HAZMAT Team, and the Honolulu Police Department in response to a mock terrorist situation, with victims played by Emergency Medical Services students from Kapiíolani Community College. Observers will be allowed to don special vests that mark them as non-participants in the exercise. Scenarios are not announced beforehand to ensure that participants do not have time to prepare for the exercise, in order to better mimic the surprise element of bioterrorism.

This Live Multidisciplinary Training Scenario will be held at the Waipio Soccer Complex in Honolulu, Hawaii on Thursday, May 4, 2006, and will begin at 6:00 PM and unfold in real time until all ìvictimsî have been triaged and transported to other medical care. Following the scenario there will be a debriefing to discuss the successes and failures of the exercise. For more information, please call 808-956-9490 or email emprints@hawaii.edu.

Disaster Preparation for Healthcare Professionals lecture at Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Society meeting
April 17, 2006
Sigma Theta Tau Professional Nursing Society Meeting
Honolulu, Hawaii

Pacific EMPRINTS presents Assistant Professor John Casken, RN, MPH, PhD, who will deliver a one hour lecture entitled ìDisaster Preparation for Healthcare Professionals.î This lecture is a general awareness course designed to help familiarize nursing professionals with the practicalities of dealing with disaster in the form of infectious diseases, bioterrorism, and radiological vulnerabilities and learn about continuing education resources for these evolving risks.

Dr. Casken, a faculty member with the School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene at the University of Hawaii Manoa, is also the Director of the Office of International Affairs. He has a long interest in bioterrorism and disaster preparedness, with a special interest in the political and economic ramifications of these issues as well as the more practical side of the role of the nursing profession in dealing with natural and man-made disasters.

This lecture will be delivered to the Sigma Theta Tau Professional Nursing Society on Monday, April 17, 2006. For more information, please call 808-956-9490 or email emprints@hawaii.edu.

Pacific EMPRINTS general Disaster Preparedness course offered at Kapiolani Community College Emergency Medical Services
April 17, 2006
Kapiíolani Community College
Honolulu, Hawaii

Pacific EMPRINTS lecturers Carter Davis, HAZMAT specialist, and Barbara Brennan, Live Training Even Coordinator, will deliver a 4 hour general ìDisaster Preparednessî course to Kapiolani Community College Emergency Medical Services.

Carter Davis has a diverse background in emergency medical services, emergency management and fire safety. He has been an EMS instructor for 20+ years here in Hawaii, on the mainland US and in the Pacific Rim, and has held leadership roles in training, management, planning and preparedness, quality assurance and community outreach. He is also a member of the Hawaii Urban Search and Rescue Team and a certified train-the-trainer for FEMA, Red Cross, National Fire Academy, International Association of Fire Fighters and much more.

Barbara Brennan is nationally recognized for her expertise in Weapons of Mass Destruction and Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Incidents. She is one of few who have successfully completed the personal development series and the Hazard series at the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland. She has coordinated local training scenarios/exercises for Emergency Medical Services personnel since 1982. The exercises have included many different local, county and state agencies. In addition, she maintains certification as BCLS Instructor Trainer, Advanced Cardiac Life Support Instructor, Pediatric Advanced Life Support Instructor, Prehospital Trauma Life Support Instructor, Pediatric Education for Prehospital Professionals Instructor Trainer and Advanced Life Support Instructor Trainer. Ms. Brennan has taught at the First Responder, Emergency Medical Technical-Basic and Intermediate and Paramedic levels. She is also responsible for coordinating continuing medical education credits for classes targeted to EMS personnel.

This disaster preparedness course will be held at Kapiíolani Community College on Monday, April 17, 2006. Continuing Education credit will be available for those who sign up. For more information, please call 808-956-9490 or email emprints@hawaii.edu.

Geographic Information Systems and Special Populations seminar
April 12, 2006
Kokoíkulu Pediatrics Seminar, 8:00-9:00am
Kapiíolani Medical Center for Women and Children
Honolulu, Hawaii

Pacific EMPRINTS GIS specialist Phil Page will deliver a one hour seminar on Geographic Information Systems and Special Populations. He will be presenting a seminar focusing on awareness of GIS/GPS applications for public health and special populations at the Kokoíkulu Pediatrics Seminar series on Wednesday, April 12, 2006.

Mr. Page has over fifteen years of experience in the field of geographic information science and technology, including the application of these technologies to public health problems in a number of settings. He has extensive experience as an educator, having taught numerous short courses and workshops, as well as instruction at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and has written and designed educational materials in both print and online formats.

Continuing Medical Education credit will be available for those who sign up. For more information, please call 808-956-0891 or email emprints@hawaii.edu.

Pacific EMPRINTS Emergency Responder refresher course at Kapiíolani Community College
March 31, 2006
Kapiíolani Community College
Honolulu, Hawaii

Pacific EMPRINTS lecturers Carter Davis, HAZMAT specialist, and Barbara Brennan, Live Training Event Coordinator, will deliver an 8 hour refresher course to practicing EMT/First Responders at Kapiíolani Community College.

Carter Davis has a diverse background in emergency medical services, emergency management and fire safety. He has been an EMS instructor for 20+ years here in Hawaii, on the mainland US and in the Pacific Rim, and has held leadership roles in training, management, planning and preparedness, quality assurance and community outreach. He is also a member of the Hawaii Urban Search and Rescue Team and a certified train-the-trainer for FEMA, Red Cross, National Fire Academy, International Association of Fire Fighters and much more.

Barbara Brennan is nationally recognized for her expertise in Weapons of Mass Destruction and Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Incidents. She is one of few who have successfully completed the personal development series and the Hazard series at the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland. She has coordinated local training scenarios/exercises for Emergency Medical Services personnel since 1982. The exercises have included many different local, county and state agencies. In addition, she maintains certification as BCLS Instructor Trainer, Advanced Cardiac Life Support Instructor, Pediatric Advanced Life Support Instructor, Prehospital Trauma Life Support Instructor, Pediatric Education for Prehospital Professionals Instructor Trainer and Advanced Life Support Instructor Trainer. Ms. Brennan has taught at the First Responder, Emergency Medical Technical-Basic and Intermediate and Paramedic levels. She is also responsible for coordinating continuing medical education credits for classes targeted to EMS personnel.

This refresher course will be held at Kapiíolani Community College on Friday, March 31, 2006. Continuing Education credit will be available for those who sign up. For more information, please call 808-956-9490 or email emprints@hawaii.edu.

Pandemic Influenza Symposium: On the Frontline: Influenza and Other Viral Threats to Public Health
March 22, 2006
Hilton Hawaiian Village, Coral Ballroom II, 9:00-12:15pm
Honolulu, Hawaii

Pacific EMPRINTS is co-sponsoring the Pandemic Influenza Symposium entitled ìOn the Frontline: Influenza and Other Viral Threats to Public Health.î This symposium/update covers avian and pandemic influenza and other potential viral epidemics in Hawaii for Fire and EMS responders, public health and transportation officials, hospital staff and physicians. The symposium schedule is as follows:

Keynote speaker Dr. Gregory Poland is the Director of the Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group and the President of the Armed Forces Epidemiological Board. Since 2004, Dr. Poland has also served on the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Taskforce on Pandemic Influenza. Toby Clairmont is the Chair of the Emergency Management Committee of the Healthcare Association of Hawaii and Disaster Medical Assistance Team in Hawaii. He has responded to various national emergencies with his team. Edward Kalinowski is a Professor and the Chairperson of the Department of Emergency Medical Services with the University of Hawaii Kapiolani Community College. He is a member of the National EMS scope of practice committee that is redefining the education and roles of EMS providers. James Ireland is an assistant clinical professor of medicine at the John A. Burns School of Medicine, and the medical director for the State of Hawaii Department of Transportation, Airports Division and Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting.

This symposium will be held at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Coral Ballroom II on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 from 9:00-12:15 PM. Please RSVP ahead of time as space is limited for attendance at this symposium. Continuing Medical Education credit is available for those who sign up. This symposium will be filmed, and DVDs made available to those who are interested. To RSVP, or for more information, please call 808-956-9490 or email emprints@hawaii.edu.

Disaster Preparation for Healthcare Professionals lecture at the Hawaii Nurses Association
February 23, 2006
Hawaii Nurses Association Meeting
Waipahu, Hawaii

Pacific EMPRINTS presents Assistant Professor John Casken, RN, MPH, PhD, who will deliver a 2 hour lecture entitled ìDisaster Preparation for Healthcare Professionals.î This lecture is a general awareness course designed to help familiarize nursing advocates and mentors with the practicalities of dealing with disaster in the form of infectious diseases, bioterrorism, and radiological vulnerabilities and learn about continuing education resources for these evolving risks.

Dr. Casken, a faculty member with the School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene at the University of Hawaii Manoa, is also the Director of the Office of International Affairs. He has a long interest in bioterrorism and disaster preparedness, with a special interest in the political and economic ramifications of these issues as well as the more practical side of the role of the nursing profession in dealing with natural and man-made disasters.