REGION 21

PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

(Comprising the towns of Branford, East Haven, Guilford, Madison and North Branford)

(Served by the East Shore Health Department District, the Guilford Health Department and the Madison Health Department)

MASS MEDICATION DISPENSING PLAN OUTLINE

a.k.a. Point of Dispensing (POD)

A plan to quickly dispense medication from the Strategic National Stockpile to residents of Region 21 in response to a large-scale public health emergency.

GENERAL INFORMATION

In preparation for a potential large-scale public health emergency the Federal Government has stockpiled certain medicines for rapid distribution throughout the country. This plan is limited to the relatively basic task of dispensing medication in pill form such as antibiotics. In time the program may expand to anti-viral or other take home medicines. Large scale immunizations for outbreaks such as Smallpox or Pandemic Flu will require separate, more complex clinic plans and information about them will be added to this website as they are developed.

This plan assumes the Governor, in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) will declare a medical emergency which will trigger release of the stored medications for distribution. Once this happens Region 21 will operate two distribution clinics, one in Branford serving East Haven and Branford and the other in Madison serving Guilford, Madison and North Branford. We expect we will be able to dispense medication to the majority of the population within 48 hours (two 16 hour days) of the initiation of the clinic, but this will depend on the cooperation of the public and a large number of volunteers.

MADISON CLINIC PLAN

The Madison dispensing clinic will be held at the Madison Town Campus on Duck Hole Road. Dispensing will be in the gym, the Emergency Operations Center will be in the town office building and the volunteer center will be in the Arts Barn

Link to Town Campus Site Map – (not yet available)

In the event a clinic is activated, additional information specific to the Madison Clinic may be available at this website, on the Town of Madison information line 203-245-5600 (a new telephone system is on order at this writing) or on local cable access television stations (Guilford, Madison, North Branford). Messages may also be distributed via Reverse 911 in areas where it is available.

WHO SHOULD COME

Not all, or even most, residents will visit the site. Instead we will rely on heads of household or other family member to come with the proper information to enable them to pick up medications for their family and possibly other friends and neighbors who might have difficulty getting to the site. Residents who are ill with a communicable disease should not visit the site, but should have someone else pick up medication for them. Those visiting the site will need to be residents of the towns being served, have all the required medical information for each person they are getting medication for (download forms below), and sign for all medication they pick up. If they are picking up medication for non-family members they will need the medical information form for that person and a signed authorization (download below). Valid I.D. will be required. Bring

a CT. Driver’s License, Military I.D. or Passport.

Required medical information forms will be available at each of the parking areas as well as at this site. Having the forms filled out in advance of arrival at the site will speed the process for everyone. Forms will be available as soon as they are approved, but they may be updated from time to time and could be out of date if downloaded now.

HOW TO COME

Residents will not drive to the site, but will instead be bussed from several outlying locations (see list of locations and links to maps below). Residents with a valid CT Handicapped Parking Permit, upon arriving at an outlying parking site, will be issued any required forms and a one-time pass to park at the Clinic Site. Volunteers will be able to park at the clinic site.

WHAT TO EXPECT – THE CLINIC EXPERIENCE

The clinic process will move at a rapid and pre-determined pace. Each family should choose an adult in good physical and emotional health to pick up medication. If you are the pick up person for your family, gather all the required medical information for each family member and fill out the required form before leaving home. If you are picking up for non-family members, get their completed information form as well as a signed authorization form. Take your personal identification, a cell phone if possible and maybe a snack.

We hope the process will not be long, but there are no guarantees. Cooperation and patience by all attendees will be expected. No medication will be given without complete paperwork. Your trip will be much easier if careful attention is given when completing the required forms.

To get to the clinic, drive to one of the off-site bussing areas. There you will board a bus, receive a brief orientation, be issued a fact sheet and medical forms (if you do not already have them) and be bussed to the site. Everyone on the bus will enter the clinic foyer as a group where a further brief orientation will be given, after which everyone will enter the clinic proper. Additional forms will be available for those needing them. Tables will be available for filling out forms and there will be several volunteers there to answer questions.

Next, go to the “Forms Completion” area where your forms and personal identification will be checked. Assuming all is in order, a nurse will indicate which medication will be issued to each person on your list and will initial your forms. You will sign the forms and proceed to the Dispensing Area where your forms will be reviewed and collected. You will receive the appropriate medications and dosage instructions, board the bus and return to your vehicle.

If you are handicapped and have a valid state permit, you will be given a one-time parking pass to the clinic site as well as a fact sheet and any forms you require. You may then drive directly to the clinic. From your vehicle, go to the entry area, join one of the busloads of people for the orientation and go through the process detailed above before returning to your vehicle.

If you have serious medical concerns, we recommend you discuss them with your physician before taking any medication. Additionally, we hope to have some volunteer physicians available at the clinic site to answer medical questions.

If you would like to discuss any emotional concerns about this process anyone in your family may have, we hope to have several counselors available. 

BRANFORD CLINIC PLAN

The clinic site for residents of Branford and East Haven is the Branford High School located at 185 East Main Street in Branford. Please see “HOW TO COME” in this outline. Although we will strive to make this experience as swift and efficient as is possible, it may still take some time. As a result, residents are urged to dress according to weather conditions and, in particular, to wear comfortable shoes. It is also permissible to bring a bottle of drinking water along with you. Unless absolutely necessary, children should not be brought to the clinic site (see “WHO SHOULD COME”).

In the event this clinic is activated, additional information specific to this site will be available via local media sources, community cable access channels and this website. In addition, you may contact the Town of Branford information line at (203) 315-3909. Unless needing emergency assistance from police, fire or EMS, residents are requested to avoid calling 911.

VOLUNTEER NOW – WE NEED YOU

Certain emergencies require massive public health actions well beyond the capabilities of the existing public health system. In an emergency, the health and safety of all of our residents would depend on the work of many volunteers. For example, an outbreak of smallpox would require two clinics in Region 21, one in Branford serving residents of Branford and East Haven and one in Madison serving residents of Guilford, Madison and North Branford. The plans for these two clinics are extensive, but the bulk of the work would be provided by hundreds of volunteers working thousands of hours over a ten-day period, all done with “just in time” training. Other emergencies may require fewer volunteers, but in all cases adequate response to large-scale public health emergencies will be impossible without volunteers.

Residents willing to volunteer for either medical or non-medical positions during emergencies are encouraged to sign up now. Contact information for volunteers will be kept in a secure database to facilitate quick call on short notice. Volunteers will also be contacted from time to time by mail or email with significant updates and information on upcoming drills or emergency training courses available to volunteers.

There are no specific obligations resulting from signing up as a volunteer and in an emergency, personal and family safety will always take precedence over volunteer activities. We ask that you make your name and contact information available and participate to the degree you are able.

To volunteer now: Download, complete and send in the application form below or call the Madison Health Department at 203-245-5681 or the East Shore District Health Department at 203-481-4233. Please make this volunteer opportunity known to friends and others you know in the community.

REGIONAL MAP

GETTING TO THE SITES

Directions to Madison Dispensing Site volunteers and authorized personnel only)

Link to Region 21 Mass Dispensing driving/parking map

Link to Madison site map (Not yet available)

TO MADISON CLINIC SITE FROM:
I-95 Northbound (heading East)
Take Exit 62 – At end of ramp turn left on Duck Hole Road. Town Campus is a half-mile North on right.

I-95 Southbound (heading West)
Take Exit 62 – At end of ramp turn right on Duck Hole Road. Town Campus is a half-mile North on right.

Route 80 (from either direction)
Take Route 79 South from traffic circle. After about three miles, turn left at blinking light onto Horse Pond Road (toward Hammonasset State Park). Town Campus is 2.7 miles South on left.

Offsite Parking/Bussing Locations for Madison Clinic:

1. Commuter lot at I-95 Exit 61 (Madison Rt. 79) North of I-95
2. North Madison Shopping Center (Rt. 80 East or Rt. 79)
3. Adams Middle School (Rt. 77 South of Exit 58, I-95 ) 233 State St. Guilford
4. Guilford Fire Department 3087 Durham Road, Guilford (Rt. 77 North of Exit 58, I-95)
5. Jerome Harrison School on Rt. 80 (335 Foxon Road, North Branford)
6. Totoket Valley Elementary School (1388 Middletown Avenue, North Branford) 
7. North Branford High School, 49 Caputo Road, North Branford    

Directions to Branford Vaccination Site (volunteers and authorized personnel only)

Link to Regional POD driving/parking map

Link to Branford Site Map (not yet available)

From the East: Take I-95 South (westbound) to Exit 55; Route 1. Take right at end of exit ramp onto Route 1 (East Main St.). Go to the sixth stop light (including the one at the end of the exit ramp and Route 1), approximately one mile. Bear left at gas station onto East Main St.; Branford High School is on the left, set back off the road.

From the West: Take I-95 North (eastbound) to Exit 55; Route 1. Take a right at end of exit ramp onto Route 1 (East Main St.). Go to the sixth stop light (including the one at the end of the exit ramp and Route 1), approximately one mile. Bear left at gas station onto East Main St.; Branford High School is on the left, set back off the road.

Offsite Parking/Bussing Locations for Branford Clinic:

            East Haven

Branford

Branford Clinic volunteer center: 11 Cherry Hill Road – Branford Senior Center

Downloads

HOUSEHOLD ANTIBIOTIC DISPENSING CONSENT FORM

AUTHORIZATION TO PICK UP MEDICINE CONSENT FORM

VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION FORM