# 1149
This week the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs will hold hearings on Pandemic issues.
It appears that these hearings will be available for viewing, live on the web at http://www.senate.gov/~gov_affairs/.
Today's hearing begins at 10:00am EDT
10/02/07
10:00 AM
Preparing the National Capital Region for a Pandemic
Title: Preparing the National Capital Region for a Pandemic
Date: 10/2/07
Time (EST): 10:00 AM
Place: Dirksen Senate Office Building, Rm. 342
Due to the globalization of the world economy and more frequent international travel a pandemic influenza is becoming more likely. The National Capital Region (NCR) has worked with Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Health and Human Services to develop an emergency response plan. Last year, the NCR released a strategic plan to address preparedness and collaboration efforts of the area jurisdiction, which include the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, 12 local jurisdictions, three branches of federal government, and over four million Americans. However, this strategic plan does not explain how the NCR should respond to any particular emergency. Since emergency response is a local responsibility, as recognized by the National Response Plan, each local jurisdiction has developed its own set of emergency operations. Thus, those operations plans prescribe how the jurisdiction in the NCR would respond to an emergency such as a pandemic outbreak. This hearing will examine the various pandemic response plans in the region and the overall preparedness of the NCR in the event of such an emergency.
