# 1228
My readers are aware I've been following the exploits of Readymom, SusanC, BroncoBill and their support team at the APHA (American Public Health Association) Expo in Washington, D.C. this week.
Last night SusanC was kind enough to write an illuminating update in the comments section of yesterday's post. Alas, many readers don't go back and check old posts for comments, and so to bring her response to a wider audience, I've repackaged it here.
What follows is from SusanC, a medical doctor (retired), an administrator at the Flu Wiki, a tireless promoter of pandemic awareness, and an all around good egg.
SusanC said... Thanks, Fla_medic, for your comments and insights. I absolutely agree with you about how tptb should utilize grassroots talent, and that was one of my major goals for taking the ReadyMoms project into the heart of public health 'establishment' at the APHA.
I was sharing this with RM this evening (she is staying with me), that the reason why I jumped at the chance when I found out about the Expo, even though we only had 2 weeks to achieve the seemingly impossible, was because observing the progress of pandemic decision making at various levels in the past year, especially since the AMA meeting in the summer, I KNEW that there are many officials who are really struggling with pandemic planning. A year ago, they would not have been ready to accept us as they have these past few days.
Why? Because a year ago, they were still mostly oblivious to the complexities of planning. The AMA meeting (which I wrote about here http://www.newfluwiki2.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1487) was the first time when I observed normally unflappable professionals confessing en mass to being overwhelmed and desperate for solutions.
I wanted to show them what uncredentialed non-traditional talent can bring to their portfolio of resources. I wanted 'partnership with the public' to happen as something tangible and substantive, and not just as soundbite. I wanted our footprints in the halls of policy debate, if not of power itself yet!
Did we achieve these goals? No, not yet. But I believe our foot is very firmly in the door. Which is cause for celebration, but we can only afford brief and small ones, right now. Because our foot in the door only means that more work needs to follow what happened this week - work that is likely to be many times more challenging than manning a booth, and much much more demanding of manpower.
RM keeps saying how I don't mince my words (or something to that effect) and I know that I can be a tough taskmaster, but she also knows that I tell it like it is much more frequently and much much more forcefully to tptb than to our own community. And what I want to say, as clearly as I can possibly say it, is this:
Having your voice heard gives you power, to influence, to do good. But along with power comes responsibility and duty too. And solid nose-to-the-grindstone hard work, most of which is unglamorous and unrewarding.
How flubies can or cannot rise to what is going to be demanded of them, is the real test of the caliber of our community, of what we are TRULY made of.
And of what we are likely to be able to bring forth for humanity, should a pandemic break out.Where do we go from here?
Immediately after the APHA, on Thursday Nov 8th, I am attending a stakeholders' meeting in Washington DC, organized by the ASPR office, on implementation of the Pandemic and All hazards Act http://www.hhs.gov/aspr/conference/pahpa/2007/ . The link gives you not just the agenda, but also a progress report from ASPR.
The important thing to note, and I would appreciate if more people will help spread this to other forums, is that not only are they accepting open registration, they are asking for questions that you want to be included in the discussion. THAT to me is an admirable degree of openness, from ASPR Vanderwagen.
I only learned about it 2 days ago. Since I've been completely down the craziness of doing the Expo, I only managed to post one question to them, today. I don't know whether that was too late for it to be included in the discussion, but I have every intention of following it up whether or not they want to! LOL.
What I have done, is written it up as a diary for comment on Flu Wiki here http://www.newfluwiki2.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1834, and I have sent the link to ASPR. Please post your opinion/comment on the issue that I asked the question on, which is what is being done to adequately inform every single parent of the risks of a pandemic (this is a paraphrase, the full text can be found at the link). From what I have observed so far, Vanderwagen appears to genuinely believe in listening to the public and taking their opinions on board. Since they have the link and I am following it up, there's a good chance that your comments WILL be read by those who are as we speak writing up the next round of programs for implementation.
The question has also been put into the form of a 'poll' that you can take (on the front page here http://www.newfluwiki2.com/frontPage.do). This is intended less as a poll than as a petition or at least a statement of concern, so do take this chance to express your views, in either one or both of these ways.Thanks again, please help spread this message. Even if we miss the deadline, comments are still likely to be read and considered. I'm not able to post at every forum, so any help is appreciated. I need sleep!
The meeting to which SusanC is speaking is:
HHS Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) Implementation Discussion
PAHPA Breakout Session Attendance Survey
Discussion Topic Question Submittal
Date
November 8, 2007
Time
7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Registration:
- Please send registration forms to either:
Email: aspr.pahpa@hhs.gov
Fax: (202) 205-5146
- Or register by calling:
(202) 205-3938
Location:
Grand Hyatt Hotel Washington, D.C .
1000 H Street N.W.
Washington, DC 20001**Metro: Metro Center (Orange/Blue)
Agenda
Meeting Goals:
- Discuss and receive input from stakeholders on the PAHPA Implementation Strategy
- Inform stakeholders about HHS’ PAHPA achievements to date.
- Provide opportunities to discuss issues with HHS subject-matter experts (SMEs).
Related Materials:
Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PDF – 158 KB)
Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act Progress Report November 2007 (PDF – 118 KB)
Homeland Security Presidential Directive/HSPD-21 (PDF - 893KB)
Contact us:
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response
Email: aspr.pahpa@hhs.gov
Phone:
Fax: (202) 205-5146
Thank you Susan. We owe all of you a debt of thanks for your hard work.
The Flu Wiki has set up a forum where visitors can ask questions in advance to be submitted during this meeting. Go HERE to read the questions and perhaps, add one of your own.
We can prepare for, and get through, a pandemic better if we all work together, from the grassroots level on up to the highest tiers of government, to get the job done.
My situation didn't allow for me to travel to Washington D.C. this week to help out with the Readymoms, but I wish it had. Hopefully I'll get another opportunity in the future.
