WRCE Core Facilities
home  

Administrative Core

Emergency Preparedness Activity

Diagnostics Development Core

Computational Biology Core

Law, Policy, and Ethics Core

 

Emergency Preparedness Activity


Collaborating Institution: Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health (TAM HSC), Houston, TX
WRCE Associate Director for Emergency Preparedness: Scott Lillibridge, MD
WRCE Assistant Director for Emergency Preparedness: Dennis Perrotta, PhD, CIC – TAM HSC, Houston, TX
Description: The Emergency Preparedness and Response component of WRCE is headed by the Associate Director, Scott Lillibridge, MD. This year WRCE preparedness activities will revolve around issues delineated within the DHHS Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA). Specifically, this will involve activities related to pandemic influenza preparedness, surge capacity, and early detection and reporting of public health threats. In addition, we plan to use pandemic influenza preparedness as a model threat scenario for our various WRCE members for improving our scientific capacities (integrating new technical core platforms) to respond to biodefense and emerging infectious disease emergencies.

Specific activities include:

  • Participation in a collaborative conference with WRCE partners, focusing on the major biodefense and emerging infectious disease threats to our population.
  • Ongoing crisis leadership training in public health preparedness in conjunction with state health departments of WRCE members.
  • The application of new WRCE technologies to foster enhanced surveillance for biodefense and emerging infectious disease.
  • Continued refinement of the WRCE emergency communications structure among key leadership personnel, and partnership activity designed to further discussions to integrate the WRCE into state and regional emergency preparedness plans.
  • Continued linkage of the WRCE with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) emerging infectious disease, preparedness, and health and security agenda through the attendance and participation in pertinent WHO sponsored meetings related to pandemic influenza, biodefense, or emerging infectious disease.