June 2018...about 1.5 years before COVID! Some people ask me to try to explain how the incredible team in Delaware County PA has been able to execute a pretty exceptional response to COVID-19 and in particular the vaccine dispensing phase. What you see below from June 2018 is part of the answer. Every year from 2006 to present the team executed multiple stakeholder education and training events, 2-4 Point of Dispensing (POD) functional exercises (FE), and an annual County Medical Countermeasures (MCM) Command and Control (C2) Distribution and Dispensing Full Scale Exercise (FSE). Additionally, they annually executed multiple Medical Reserve Corps (MRC)/Citizens Corps of Delaware County (CCDC) orientation, training, and exercise events. They built a strong foundation of capability and capacity that they hoped would never be needed...but they knew that they needed to be ready if the time came. The time came...and they were ready!
The event shown here from June 2018 was a simulated "limited-notice" deployment of the DELCO MRC/CCDC to design, setup, and operate an oral antibiotic (Pill) POD at a previously not planned location in response to a regional ANTHRAX exposure. Although the medical countermeasure is different than that which we have used for the COVID response...ALL of the organization, leadership, and teamwork skills are nearly identical and much of the design and layout/flow and many of the processes and procedures are similar. And...turns out that the site for this exercise just happened to be used as the first major school-based COVID-19 Vaccine POD in DELCO.
15 years of team building, planning, education, training, exercise and evaluation. 15 years of unwavering senior elected and appointed leader support. 15 years of partnership between DELCO, PA DoH, 16 Open POD and 70+ Closed POD partners, and many other community stakeholders. 15 years of incredible dedication and service from hundreds (now thousands) of volunteers and staff. THAT is how DELCO has done it. THAT is the model that other jurisdictions can work to emulate for the future. Neighbors helping neighbors and a local response to disasters...it is always the best way! Well done DELCO...well done! Re-Posted on Facebook 6/9/2021 by Wilbur Wolf III
