# 1306
Last summer the HHS held a 5 week Pandemic Leadership Blog and a Summit in Washington D.C., where community leaders gathered to discuss how to take the pandemic preparedness message back to their community.
Based on input from the participants, the bloggers, and yes, even the people who commented on the blogs, the HHS has produced a series of toolkits that may be downloaded and used in your community.
The goal here is to get America prepared for a pandemic. And to do that, ordinary citizens like you and I must help spread the word.
We now have officially sanctioned toolkits to help us do just that.
Take the Lead: Make an Impact!
Preparing for a pandemic influenza outbreak involves everybody. The threat of pandemic influenza is real, and America needs leadership from respected community members to prepare our towns and cities, reduce the impact of pandemic flu on individuals and families, and reduce or even prevent serious damage to the economy.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public health experts agree that it is not a question of IF a pandemic will occur, but WHEN it will occur. If America is not adequately prepared, pandemic flu could seriously affect everyone economically.
Government alone can’t prepare the nation for pandemic flu; this challenge requires your help. As a leader in your community, you can play a powerful role in encouraging your employees, patients, and members and others whom you represent to prepare by providing information and guidance and by preparing yourself.
This kit was developed by HHS and CDC along with input from community leaders. It is designed to provide you with key information and tools to help your organization or practice understand the threat of a pandemic and prepare for it now.
This toolkit provides the following:
- Information for you about pandemic flu
- Ready-to-use and ready-to-tailor resources prepared by HHS and CDC
- Ideas and materials to encourage your organization to prepare and to encourage other leaders to get involved
Pandemic preparedness efforts are an important part of community leadership. We thank you for joining community leaders across the Nation in taking steps to ensure America’s health and prosperity in the 21st century.
Tools
Talking Points
Pandemic Flu Preparedness (PDF - 53.05 KB)
How to Get Your Peers Involved (PDF - 58.56 KB)
Fact Sheets
Pandemic Flu Basics (PDF - 59.75 KB)Community-Based Interventions (PDF - 51.42 KB)
Checklists
Pandemic Flu Preparedness (PDF - 64.29 KB)
Stocking Food and Supplies (PDF - 65.27 KB)
Food and Supplies Drive (PDF - 66.72 KB)
Sample Newsletter Articles
Pandemic Flu Preparedness (PDF - 44.54 KB)Stocking Food and Supplies (PDF - 67.04 KB)
Good Health Habits (PDF - 55.05 KB)
How to Get Involved (PDF - 45.5 KB)
Sample E-mails
Pandemic Flu Preparedness (PDF - 46.71 KB)
Stocking Food and Supplies (PDF - 65.27 KB)Good Health Habits (PDF - 46.96 KB
How to Get Involved (PDF - 45.15 KB)
'Chain' E-mail (PDF - 50.39 KB)
Posters
Cover Your Cough (PDF - 90.72 KB)Food Drive Template (PDF - 51.8 KB)
Resources
Incentive Ideas (PDF - 49.2 KB)
Links to Internet Resources (PDF - 47.93 KB)
Complete 'Take the Lead' Toolkit (PDF - 377.34 KB)
I hope to have time later this weekend to look over these toolkits, and will try to report back more detailed impressions in the next day or so.
A cursory look does show that recommendation to stock up remains at 2-weeks, and the failure to bump that up to 30 days, 60 days, or even longer will be seen by many in the Flubie community as a serious flaw in these toolkits.
I know there is great resistance to suggest stockpiling more than 2-weeks when so few people seem willing to even prepare at that minimum level. I'm sure there were also concerns of appearing too `alarmist'. Still, I had hopes that they'd at least change the wording to `2-weeks or more' or some variation of that theme.
Alas, it was not to be.
That said, these toolkits are still a major accomplishment.
They validate our message, that preparing for a pandemic is everyone's responsibility, and that we must work within our communities to make them more resiliant.
Most importantly, we now have the seal of approval from the CDC and the HHS to go forth and spread the word.
Which is more than we had yesterday.
