Is San Mateo County ready for a bioterrorism event?
The San Mateo County Health Department is better prepared today than ever before to respond to a bioterrorism event. The San Mateo County Health Department is working closely with the California Department of Health Services (CDHS) to ensure the safety of our residents. The San Mateo County Health Department has made significant progress in preparing for a bioterrorism event: • Established a network of emergency response professionals who have developed plans, policies and procedures for responding to bioterrorism emergencies; • Upgraded laboratories, including purchasing equipment, hiring and training staff regarding new laboratory techniques for identifying bioterrorism agents, and instituted security provisions; • Increased capacity to collect and analyze surveillance data in order to identify any increases in the incidents of communicable diseases. Prior to 9/11, only a few large counties had this capacity; • Added resources and conducted training in public health emergency communi
