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    Maryland Department of Health
    Office of Preparedness and Response

    ​​​​​​​​​​​​Blog

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    Blog: From OP&R

    ​​Expand the sections below to read exciting stories from the Office of Preparedness and Response!

    ​​2021-2022

    OP&R Hosts International Delegation to Discuss Disaster Preparedness​ (June 2022)​​​​

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    OP&R, along with the Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) and other state partners, hosted a visiting delegation of health professionals from France and the United Arab Emirates on June 23rd to discuss solutions for operations centers and incident management and to exchange ideas on disaster preparedness. They also looked for opportunities to collaborate both domestically and internationally in the future. After meeting at the OP&R offices, the group traveled to Johns Hopkins Hospital to tour their Operations Command Center (below).

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    AKAs Assist OP&R to Pack PPE Kits (May 2022)​

    On Saturday, May 28th, OP&R Acting Deputy Director Nicole Brown and a group of her sorority sisters from the Epsilon Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. came to the OP&R Warehouse to help package approximately 4,000 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits.
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    These kits included gloves, masks and test kits and are part of a regional project that will be distributed to Baltimore County Public Schools graduating seniors to help mitigate the risk of COVID-19 infection. Thank you AKAs for doing your part to help create a more prepared Maryland!

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    OP&R Welcomes Governor Larry Hogan for a Press Conference to Announce More Medical Aid for Odessa, Ukraine (May 2022)

    Governor Larry Hogan stopped by one of OP&R's warehouse facilities on May 10th 2022 to announce the the shipment of a multimillion dollar aid package to support the people of Odesa, Ukraine, a sister city of Baltimore. Some of the supplies sent include 485,000 bandages and wound care supplies, 95 Eternity mechanical ventilators for hospital intensive care units, and 50 Astral portable ventilators. Other items shipped included nearly 200 pieces of body armor, consisting of tactical vests and shields, which were donated by the Maryland State Police. 

    Read more about the press conference here.​
    IMG_0969.jpgGovernor Hogan poses with the OP&R staff after announcing that Maryland will be sending more life-saving medical supplies to Ukraine.

    ​​OP&R Director Sherry Adams Reitres from Public Service (October 2021)


    Congratulations to Sherry Adams, beloved Director of the Maryland Office of Preparedness and Response on her well deserved retirement from public service! The OP&R staff threw a huge surprise retirement party for Sherry on October 29th that was attended by Maryland Department of Health (MDH) leadership, former staff, friends, family and many more partners that Sherry has worked with over the years. She even received a special award from Governor Hogan (above) to recognize her many years of faithful service to the citizens of Maryland. It was presented to her by Secretary of Health Dennis Schrader (above left), and former Secretary Robert Neall (above right). Other senior staff in attendance included MDH Deputy Secretary of Operations Atif Chaudhry and Deputy Secretary for Public Health Dr. Jinlene Chan (below).

     Sherry also received a letter of appreciation (below) for her many years of public health service from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Preparedness and Response (ASPR) which was presented by members of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).


    The team from HHS even gave Sherry a replica of the U.S. flag (below) that was flown in her honor above the U.S. Capitol in Washington on the day of her retirement on November 1st. She later received the actual flag that flew. This is a true testament to the impact that Sherry has had on public health, not just here in Maryland, but across the country as well.​


    Just as important as the many accolades that Director Adams has achieved, is the amazing respect, dedication and love that Sherry has shown to every person who worked with her at OP&R over the past 13 years. All of our staff, past and present, as well as our many partners wish Sherry nothing but the best in her well-deserved retirement. We love you so much and thank you for all that you have done for us and the citizens of our great state.​

    OP&R Reaches the One Year Mark of Their COVID-19 Pandemic Response (January 2021)​

    ​​The Office of Preparedness and Response hit a big milestone on January 18th, 2021 as that day marked exactly one year since the start of their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since that day, OP&R has been in full emergency response mode, helping to manage all aspects of the state's COVID-19 response including daily planning and coordination of the Maryland COVID-19 Vaccination Plan.

    Reaching the one anniversary is by no means a reason to celebrate, as thousands of Maryland lives have been lost during that time, but OP&R is very proud of its resilience and contributions during the past year. Here are some thoughts from members of the staff as they reflect on what it means to reach the one year mark of OP&R's COVID-19 response.

    Sherry Adams, Director of OP&R: "The entire team here at OP&R has made considerable contributions to the mission to stop COVID-19 in Maryland. We have made it through some really tough times over the past year, and still have a ways to go, but I am so proud of what we have done. Everyone here has sacrificed so much and given up so much time with their families for the sake of the mission." 

    Veronica Black, Deputy Director of OP&R: "This has been one tough year! However, our team has demonstrated a level of resiliency that is truly commendable. We continue to stand Maryland Strong, Maryland Ready to Respond!"

    Nicole S. Brown, Healthcare Preparedness Program Manager: "It's been a long year and I have learned so much along the way. Most importantly, I have learned that with teamwork, any task can be accomplished!"

    Bernadette Eichman, Healthcare Preparedness Program Planner: "Reaching the one year mark of responding to COVID-19 calls for a moment of reflection on how far we've come. From the knowledge, skills and lessons learned to the partnerships enriched; this response has demonstrated the dedication of colleagues and partners to help Marylanders."

    Peter Fotang, Epidemiologist, Biosurveillance Program: "While it was always known that OP&R is one of the most important arms in the state's readiness to respond, this pandemic has reinforced that. Our office has risen to the occasion at every turn, with all staff supporting each other from the very start ."

    Dr. Al Romanosky, Medical Director at OP&R: "As the great Robert Frost once said, 'In three words, I can sum up everything I've learned about life: IT GOES ON.' And that's exactly the way we've tackled the pandemic here at OP&R. We've manned up and kept it moving!"​


    2019-2020

    OP&R Takes the Lead on Mass Vaccination Planning in Maryland (Fall​ 2020)

    Since the start of the pandemic, the Office of Preparedness and Response has been in full emergency response mode, helping to manage all aspects of the COVID-19 response in Maryland. One of the most critical aspects of OP&R's responsibilities is the planning and coordination of the Maryland COVID-19 Vaccination Plan. In conjunction with other Maryland Department of Health staff members and agencies, OP&R helped to design this extensive vaccination plan. A draft copy was finally submitted to the Centers for Disease Control on October 16, 2020. Read a draft copy of the plan here.

    Since then, the entire staff of OP&R has spent countless hours in daily planning meetings with countless other federal agencies, MDH officials, doctors, vaccine experts, MD State Police, hospitals and local health departments from every county in Maryland. Their goal is to make sure the COVID-19 vaccines are delivered, properly stored and distributed so that every citizen in Maryland will have a chance to be vaccinated.

    On December 14th, the first shipments of vaccine finally arrived at University of Maryland Medical Center. Although there is still a long way to go, this momentous occasion gave us all a ray of hope in this nearly year-long battle to stop the spread of COVID-19. Thanks to the entire OP&R staff for their tireless service to this cause, along with all of our great partners across the state. There is still a long road in front of us, but if we continue to work together, we can prevail over this deadly disease!​​

    ​OP&R and Maryland Responds Take Part in Election Day Activities to Keep Marylanders Safe & Healthy (November 2020)

    Election Day may have been a day off for most Maryland state employees, but for the staff at OP&R, it was a "day on" as part of a statewide effort to monitor voting activities for any incidents or events that may affect public health. In conjunction with other state agencies including the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), the OP&R team was part of the Incident Command System (ICS) that worked together to ensure the health and safety of all voters and poll workers across the state.

    On that same day, hundreds of Maryland Responds Medical Reserve Corps​ volunteers signed up to be Health Ambassadors. In cooperation with the Maryland State Board of Elections, these volunteers were assigned to polling places in multiple jurisdictions throughout the state to help keep voters and poll workers protected from COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. 

    This campaign received some great media coverage across the region. Here is one of the stories that was featured on Fox 45 in Baltimore: https://foxbaltimore.com/news/local/maryland-department-of-health-assigns-health-ambassadors-to-polling-places-statewide​
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    2017-2018

    Exercise Coordinator Attends Hands-On CBRNE Training (October 2018)

     

    ​The Office of Preparedness and Response’s Exercise Coordinator, Molly Barlow, recently attended the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP), in Anniston, Alabama. Molly attended the "Incident Command: Capabilities, Planning and Response Actions for All Hazards Hands-On Training for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive (CBRNE) Incidents" course. This course focused on the unique considerations emergency managers face when preparing for and responding to CBRNE incidents. 

    During the classroom portion of the course, Molly had the opportunity to collaborate with several high-ranking members of Turkey’s Ministry of Health for a CBRNE incident tabletop exercise. This course included hands-on training in the Chemical, Ordnance, Biological and Radiological (COBRA) Training Facility. The COBRA is the nation’s only facility featuring civilian training exercises in a true toxic environment using chemical agents. The advanced hands-on training enables responders to effectively prevent, respond to, and recover from real-world incidents involving acts of terrorism and other hazardous materials. Responders participating in this training gain critical skills and confidence to respond effectively to local incidents or potential Weapons of Mass Descrution (WMD) events.

    The CDP is operated by the United States Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and is the only federally-chartered WMD training facility in the nation. The CDP develops and delivers advanced training for emergency response providers, emergency managers, and other government officials from state, local, and tribal governments. The CDP offers more than 40 training courses focusing on incident management, mass casualty response, and emergency response to a catastrophic natural disaster or terrorist act. Resident training at the CDP includes healthcare and public health courses at the Noble Training Facility, the nation’s only hospital dedicated to training health care professionals in disaster preparedness and response. Training at the CDP campus is federally funded at no cost to state, local, and tribal emergency response professionals or their agency.

    Learn more about CDP training programs by visiting http://cdp.dhs.gov.

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    Keeping Connected: Using Radios To Communicate During Disaster (January 2018)

     

    Communicating during an emergency can be life or death. If the telephone or internet does not work during an emergency, how can staff at the Office of Preparedness and Response coordinate with partners across Maryland? The answer: a Maryland First responders Interoperable Radio System Team (MDFiRST) Network.

    These radios allow the Maryland Department of Health to connect with state and local first responders across Maryland. The state-of-the-art 700 MHz radio provides seamless communication between partners in multiple jurisdictions using a single radio.

    These MDFiRST radios use “code plugs,” which define the groups the radio can communicate with. Specialized code plugs have been developed for use by the Maryland Department of Health, local health departments, state facilities, and local jurisdictions. Partners can add more code plugs on their radios so they can coordinate with local response personnel, such as fire departments or offices of emergency management. During a national emergency, the radios are capable of linking to other responders across the country. 

    The Office of Preparedness and Response began distributing MDFiRST radios to the Maryland Department of Health’s state facilities in December  2017. Staff continue to distribute radios to partners across Maryland, including the Office of Food Protection and Maryland’s 24 local health departments. After distribution, the Office of Preparedness and Response schedules training classes and regular drills. This makes sure partners are well practiced at using the backup communications system during an emergency.​

    Office of Preparedness and Response Joins Effort to Combat Maryland's Opioid Crisis (October 2017)

     

    ​The rapidly rising number of deaths from heroin, fentanyl, prescription painkillers, and other opioids led Governor Larry Hogan to declare a State of Emergency in March 2017. Several staff from the Office of Preparedness and Response joined this effort to combat Maryland’s opioid crisis.

    Office of Preparedness and Response planners, epidemiologists, and more continue to play pivotal roles in facilitating the Maryland Department of Health and statewide efforts. Experts from the Office of Preparedness and Response lend their talents to the Opioid Operational Command Center, which works to reduce the harmful impacts of opioid addiction through education, prevention, treatment, and recovery.

    Office of Preparedness and Response staff contribute in many ways:

    • ​Two planners serve critical roles in the Incident Command System as the Planning Section Chief and Health and Medical Branch lead (under the Operations Section). In these roles, they helped to develop and establish statewide goals and objectives for the Opioid Operational Command Center, leading to the development of a logic model and Coordination Plan. They also coordinate bi-weekly Incident Action Plans and connect experts from a variety of agencies.
    • Epidemiologists use the Electronic Surveillance System for the Early Notification of Community-based Epidemics (ESSENCE) to identify unintentional non-fatal opioid-involved overdoses. ESSENCE receives real-time data from every acute care hospital Emergency Department in Maryland – the only state to do so. This data supports response and prevention planning by anticipating overdose trends.
    • The Medical Director/State Preparedness Coordinator provides naloxone training for Maryland Department of Health, Department of General Services, and Capitol Police employees. He also created Overdose Response Program training kits for local health departments to use in their naloxone training and outreach efforts.
    • The Director and Deputy Director provided programmatic technical assistance and co-lead a facilitated discussion with state partners on future planning for the Opioid Operational Command Center.
    • The Public Information Officer serves in the Joint Information Center, where communications professionals across multiple state agencies coordinate opioid messaging.
    • The Office of Preparedness and Response also connects regional coalition partners, local emergency managers, and local health departments. These local health departments lead Opioid Intervention Teams, which implement the statewide efforts locally.

    As a part of the statewide effort to combat the opioid crisis in Maryland, the Office of Preparedness and Response plays a critical role in educating partners about the science of substance use disorder, as well as best and promising practices in the effort ahead.

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    Presidential Inauguration Deployment (January 2017)

     

    ​In support of the 2017 Presidential Inauguration, CDC Preparedness Field Assignee Amanda Driesse was reassigned to the Washington D.C. Department of Health from the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Office of Preparedness and Response. Driesse spent three weeks, from Jan. 9-27, 2017, assisting with Inauguration activities.

    Before the Jan. 20 Inauguration Day, Driesse assisted with the Health Alert Network (HAN) and information-sharing drills with Washington D.C. Department of Health partners. She also wrote the After-Action Report and improvement plan for the agency's Pre-Inauguration Drill for closed Point of Dispensing (POD) partners. 

    During the Inauguration response, Driesse served as Situation Unit Leader in the Planning Section of the Incident Command System (ICS). In this role, she:
    • Established timelines and reporting protocols for situation reports, 
    • Gathered information from internal and external partners, 
    • Compiled and distributed accurate situation reports and spot reports, 
    • Monitored WebEOC and other Washington D.C.-specific systems for situational awareness, and
    • Worked through the Incident Command System (ICS) chain of command to gather and validate information.
    ​
    After the National Special Security Event ended, Driesse helped to develop the After-Action Report for the entire Washington D.C. Department of Health’s response to the Inauguration.

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    ​​​Pre-2017

    Zika Response in American Samoa (May 2016)

     

    ​In May 2016, Jessica Goodell was deployed to American Samoa to support the Zika response. Goodell, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Temporary Epidemiology Field Assignee with the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, served during her deployment as the CDC’s Country and Team Lead.

    The public health Zika response in American Samoa included:

    • ​​Implementing enhanced surveillance systems to identify and diagnose suspected cases of Zika;
    • Vector control activities (reducing the number of mosquitos which transmit Zika);
    • Educating the public and medical providers;
    • Prevention activities focused on pregnant women; and
    • Monitoring pregnant women with Zika Virus and their fetuses and infants.

    Educational materials were translated into several languages and distributed among pregnant women, clinicians, men, and youths. There are no social media platforms, so radio, television, newspapers, and the airport were all used to educate the public about Zika.

    The response faced several challenges, including a limited lab capacity in American Samoa to test cases of Zika. Samples had to be sent off the island for testing and interpretation of results.

    During her deployment, Goodell led a Zika 101 Train the Trainer session for over 50 local staff. Her deployment had many successes, including the implementation of a standard operating procedure. Goodell also re-initiated a process for hiring long-term staff in American Samoa. 

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    How an Extreme Heat Plan Helped Save Thousands of Lives (July 2014)

     

    In May 2011, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene developed the state’s first Extreme Heat Plan, reducing the number of deaths in Maryland and leading the National Weather Service to change their Heat Advisory criteria in Maryland.

    A pairing of temperature data and surveillance reports found a trend in the number of heat-related emergency department visits and deaths during extreme heat. When temperatures rose above a 105°F Heat Index (how hot it feels when relative humidity is combined with air temperature), heat-related illness and death significantly increased. 

    These findings led to the creation of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Extreme Heat Plan. The plan initiates actions during pre-summer, pre-event, heat advisory, heat warning, complex heat emergency, and post-summer.

    Starting in April of each year, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene monitors temperatures, National Weather Service advisories, and deaths related to heat. Educational materials are released to the public and local health departments to raise awareness about heat emergencies. Maryland 2-1-1, an information hotline, also provides callers with information about cooling centers.

    Heat not only affects individuals, but also health care facilities. In June 29, 2012, a fast-moving band of thunderstorms, called a Derecho, caused widespread wind damage and power outages. These power outages affected dozens of vulnerable facilities, such as nursing homes, assisted living facilities, in-patient hospices, and dialysis centers. Emailing Excel spreadsheets between facilities became unwieldy and required significant staff time. In response, a real-time facility tracking tool was developed to monitor power status for these vulnerable facilities. This system was tested during Superstorm Sandy in October 2012 and future summer seasons, lessening the impact of heat exposure risk due to power failure.

    Because of these actions by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, heat-related emergency department visits in Maryland decreased by 27 percent and deaths decreased by 50 percent between 2011 and 2013.

    Responding to Superstorm Sandy (December 2012)

     
    When disaster strikes, having an emergency plan in place can reduce the impact and lead to a quicker recovery. When Superstorm Sandy hit Maryland in late October 2012, rain and blizzards caused power outages in Western Maryland. However, the plans created by the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Office of Preparedness and Response helped reduce the number of public health emergencies following the storm by:
    • Opening three emergency shelters. One of these shelters housed 119 vulnerable adults who evacuated a nursing home following generator failure.
    • Calling 880 vulnerable residents in Garrett County.
    • Visiting vulnerable adults at home if they could not be reached by phone.
    • Deploying ambulance strike teams to help with search and rescue, deliver medical equipment, and conduct wellness checks.

    The coordination between the Office of Preparedness and Response, the Garrett County Emergency Operations Centers, and the Garrett County public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) planner reduced the number of residents needing emergency services and allowed for a speedy recovery.

    For more information about Maryland’s response to Superstorm Sandy, visit https://www.cdc.gov/phpr/readiness/stories/md.htm.​