Consider this a fair warning – this week I will often be blogging about client work as I contribute to the Climate Response Blog. As I head to London for that event, simultaneously our team has been spearheading a bold new initiative for the Department of Health and Human Services designed to engage bloggers in a discussion around the potential threat of a flu pandemic. The Pandemic Flu Leadership Blog launched late last week with 16 contributors from health, community, business and faith-based sectors including Pierre Omidyar (founder of Ebay), Nedra Weinriech (author of the Spare Change blog) and many leading authorities on pandemic flu. The blog convenes these thinkers and other participants for 5 weeks, leading up to a Leadership Summit event in Washington DC.
Though the topic is pretty grim, many experts say a flu pandemic is impending and not a question of if, but of when. The blog is an interesting experiment from a government agency on bringing influential voices together and thinking outside the powerful walls of Washington. The blog summit runs through June 27th and will likely stir up some great discussion online both about the topic and about the fact that some government agencies are finally getting smarter and more innovative about fostering discussion and using personal media to spread awareness about an important issue.
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While the medical response to pandemic flu will be important to controlling its spread and limiting its toll, there are considerable non-medical issues related to flu preparedness that are essential for ensuring the continued well-being of the nation’s economy. Planning for Continuity of Operations (COOP) and Continuity of Government (COG) is critical to maintaining
the overall viability of society. Thus, while we rightly prepare for the flu, we must be equally prepared to function during the flu.
The Center for Technology and National Security Policy of the DOD’s National Defense University has prepared a number of freely-available items which can help civilians be prepared both before and during the flu. “Bird Flu and You” is a poster available in 9 languages with basic information about influenza preparedness. “Weathering the Storm” is a report with information about planning for COOP, including instructions for carrying out “tabletop excercises” with a COOP plan.
Electronic copies of the poster are available at https://www.ndu.edu/ctnsp/Bird_flu.htm. Electronic copies of the report are
available at https://www.ndu.edu/ctnsp/Def_Tech/DTP%2038%20Weathering%20The%20Storm.pdf, and to request hard copies of the report, contact the Life Sciences group at lifesciences@ndu.edu.
Robert E. Armstrong, Ph.D.
&
Mark D. Drapeau, Ph.D.
Center for Technology and National Security Policy
National Defense University
Washington, DC