The Maricopa County Department of Public Health Office of Preparedness and Response (MCDPH OPR) will be conducting a full-scale exercise on the campus of Scottsdale Community College on January 11 from 7:00am-5:00pm. Exercise play will be limited to MCDPH OPR and partners.
The goal of the exercise is to assess the proficiency of the MCDPH OPR in responding to, and recovering from, a large-scale and unexpected threat to the health of the citizens of Maricopa County.
“These exercises are conducted so that we can look at our systems, planning, and procedures that are in place and determine what works and what needs to be changed,” said Katie Turnbow, Maricopa County Department of Public Health, Office of Preparedness and Response Manger. “They also allow us to collaborate with partners within the community so that if another pandemic or other emergency to public health emerges, we can quickly and effectively respond together.”
This exercise will focus on the capabilities of MCDPH OPR in the areas of Emergency Operations Coordination, Emergency Public Information and Warning, Information Sharing, Medical Countermeasure Dispensing and Administration, Medical Material Management and Distribution, Responder Safety and Health, and Volunteer Management. These capabilities are part of requirements for adhering to CDC Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) guidance.
“The Maricopa Department of Public Health will always be ready and able to rapidly mobilize and deliver services to the people of Maricopa County,” said Turnbow. “As the COVID-19 pandemic showed us, we must be ready to address any known, emerging, or unexpected public health emergency. Exercises like this ensure MCDPH is ready to face any public health emergencies that may occur.”
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Media availability: Access to the exercise will be provided to the media from 9:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M on Wednesday, January 11. Please contact Nick Moyte to indicate if you plan on coming.
Media contact: Nick Moyte, Nicholas.moyte@maricopa.gov or (602) 859-0396.