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A pandemic would require a concerted and combined response from all federal agencies, including the military. In order to navigate the varied state laws and jurisdictions, not to mention agency bailiwicks they will encounter, the military has put together a comprehensive playbook.
Fort Monroe unit devises U.S. pandemic flu plan
The Defense Department group's project incorporates federal, state and local agencies' responses.
FORT MONROE -- Should a pandemic flu spread across the United States, the Defense Department now has a plan of attack that incorporates the response of federal, state and local agencies.
The Fort Monroe-based Joint Task Force Civil Support - the Defense Department group responsible for coordinating the military's reaction to everything from a nuclear attack to a contagious disease - took a year to develop what it calls a "pandemic influenza playbook."
If a pandemic flu actually does hit, "there's not going to be time to figure out how we are going to do our mission," said Army National Guard Maj. Gen. Bruce Davis, who spearheaded the project. Davis is a former commander of Joint Task Force Civil Support.
Initially, the Defense Department only discussed the potential problems that could arise with the onset of a pandemic flu, said Army Maj. George Hanford, the strategic plans and policy officer. In 2006, the task force was assigned to support federal, local and state agencies.
Until now, there was no plan in place for the military to support civilian agencies, Hanford said.
"Mainly we questioned federal, local and state agencies directly," Hanford said. "For example, we questioned the Department of Homeland Security on its procedures and then coordinated efforts in writing."
The book includes information from medical professionals, logisticians, mortuaries and public affairs.
It details how the military should set up command and control stations and communicate with other agencies. It includes data about how to keep the troops responding to a pandemic flu safe from contracting the virus.
It also has a state law compendium. Depending on how large an area is affected by a flu, individual state laws could complicate response.
"There are some states that have legal barriers in place that unless a person is a licensed pharmacist in that state, nobody else can distribute medication," Davis said. "Obviously that wouldn't work. Another... example would be Nevada, which does not allow (temporary interment) unless a waiver could be granted."
It was important to gather information from agencies down to the local level, Davis said.
"One of the unique challenges in a pandemic influenza is ... it's going to start somewhere and it's going to spread," Davis said. "It's not a situation where a response force will go to that location and try to work the consequence and its effects."
"The main use of this playbook (is to) help military commanders taking on the responsibility for assisting and supporting federal, local and state agencies," Hanford said.
But each of those civilian agencies can also use the book to see how other groups are responding.
"DoD and federal agencies have devised plans to address the potential of a pandemic threat," Hanford said.
"The federal government now has organized planning and procedures to address interagency parties to make the impact of the pandemic as minimal as possible."
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