Feds say Hawaii not Hawaii is one of only two states that has made little or no progress in its preparation to deploy medicine and vaccines should bioterrorists strike, according to federal officials.
ready for bioterrorism
The state is 1 of only 2 showing little
or no progress in readinessAssociated Press
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has asked states to report how they will distribute medicine, where they can provide 500 hospital beds in case of mass casualties, and how hospitals will isolate highly contagious patients in the event of bioterrorism.
Federal officials say that while states have made considerable progress in preparing for bioterrorism, much work remains.
"Our biggest concern is we will get to a location and a state or a city will not be ready," said Jerry Hauer, assistant secretary for public health preparedness at the DHHS.
The federal government can deliver 50 tons of medical supplies to any U.S. city within 12 hours. But communities must be ready to take control of these supplies from the airport. They must have transportation and security for the supplies and a place to distribute them. They need people who can repackage huge cartons of antibiotics into individual doses.
Federal officials use a traffic light metaphor to characterize readiness for the 62 projects, which include the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the cities of New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, the territories of American Samoa, Guam, Northern Marianas, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands, and three associated independent states: Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau.
Just one project, Florida, is "green," meaning ready to go, pending a rehearsal. Two states are "red," Wisconsin -- HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson's home state -- and Hawaii, meaning they are making little or no progress. Also red: Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Six projects have not been reviewed yet; the remaining 51 are rated "amber," meaning they are making significant progress toward readiness but aren't there yet.
Federal officials emphasize that states still could handle an emergency if they had to, even if they are not considered prepared.