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Cindy Sanders, 404-712-7626

August 15, 2003

 

Emory Crawford Long Hospital and the Metropolitan Medical Response System Host Atlanta's Emergency and Medical Personnel for a Day of SARS Education, Monday, Aug. 18, 8 A.M. ­ 2:30 P.M.

ATLANTA ­ SARS has affected the lives of thousands across the world. Although Atlanta has been spared the brunt of the epidemic, Emory Crawford Long Hospital and the Metropolitan Medical Response System are making sure emergency and medical personnel in Atlanta are prepared for SARS, should the need arise.

The Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS), a federal committee for bioterrorism, is holding a sub-committee meeting at ECLH on Aug. 18, 2003, in the Glenn auditorium. The program’s primary focus is to develop or enhance existing emergency preparedness systems to effectively respond to a public health crisis.

The day-long meeting is designed to educate emergency and medical personnel on SARS. This includes:

  • Information sharing on SARS and its potential outbreak in Atlanta
  • Present concept of "Frontlines Approach" to SARS preparation for emergency department (ED) and EMS agencies
  • Prepare Practice Strategies and Best Practices for frontlines personnel from global SARS sites
  • Design the SARS educational course for ED and EMS providers to be conducted September 26, 2003
  • Agree on best practice consistent approaches to providing information on SARS to the frontlines staff, and utilization of resources (like the CDC and District Health Departments) to prepare hospitals and community
  • Prepare list of topic areas that other hospital leadership needs to address for SARS preparedness
Val Sweigart, RN, director of the Emory Crawford Long emergency department, and Jim Augustine, MD, medical director of the Fulton County Fire Department, serve as co-chairs for the meeting. "It’s important that everyone is on the same page when we are talking about something as serious as SARS," Sweigart said. "We certainly hope we never have a situation like the one in Toronto, but we want to be prepared if we do."

 

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