Pandemic Preparedness for EMS Personnel

At the conclusion of this activity, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the origins of pandemics.

2. Outline the ethical concerns that must be considered in pandemic preparedness and response.

3. Describe the roles and responsibilities of the various public and private entities and individuals involved in pandemic preparedness and response.

4. Discuss the role of the World Health Organization in identifying and managing global pandemics.

5. Describe the phases of a pandemic and how to assess the severity of a pandemic.

6. Describe basic public health measures that may be implemented during a pandemic.

7. Outline principles of effective pandemic planning.

8. Identify strategies that EMS departments and personnel can take to improve individual and department-level pandemic preparedness.

Pandemic disease outbreaks can have a devastating human, social, and economic impact. The only way to minimize this impact is through effective planning and preparation. Although preparing for and responding to a pandemic requires the involvement of all sectors of the community from government leaders to individuals, the health care sector, including emergency medical services personnel, bears the brunt of the responsibility from identifying the early stages of a disease outbreak at the community level to caring for the ill. This course outlines the key steps health care institutions, providers, and public health authorities must consider in developing and implementing an effective pandemic response plan.