How was Memphis and Shelby County preparing for a potential biological terrorist attack before September 11, 2001?
Since 1998, Memphis and Shelby County has been working with local, state, federal agencies in developing and implementing Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Response Preparedness Plan. This plan incorporates: • Capacity Building • Training • Acquisition and maintenance prophylactic medications. Our Public Health WMD Response Plan hinges on four components: • Rapid detection of a bioterrorist incident, identification of the agent and determination of community risk. To better meet this responsibility, Memphis and Shelby County Health Department’s Laboratory is currently being upgraded to a Level B Laboratory. Completion of the renovation is expected by February 2002, and at that time our local public health lab will be able to identify and confirm specific biological agents and will be able to perform susceptibility tests. • Coordinated Communication between providers and agencies and to the community through the designated communication officer. • Maintenance and distribution of a cache
