Planning

Responsibilities

Planning is responsible for a variety of plans, policies, and procedures that protect the overall health of the community.

Emergency Response Team

We have a 25-member emergency response team available 24 hours a day to respond to public health emergencies.

Point of Dispensing (POD) Site

A POD Site is a mass medication dispensing location that is capable of providing pills, tablets, capsules, or vaccinations to protect the general population from biological threats or epidemics.

Purpose

A Point Of Dispensing (POD) site is a mass medication dispensing location that is capable of providing pills, tablets, capsules, or vaccinations (prophylaxis) to protect the general population from biological threats or epidemics. A POD is not a:

Shelter; it does not have the capacity to house and feed patients

Trauma center, emergency room, or urgent care center; it is not able to provide medical treatment to patients

Goals

The goals of a POD are to:

  • Decrease the number of individuals who may get ill
  • Provide information about the disease and the treatment / prophylaxis (antibiotic or vaccine) being offered
  • Provide medication to an exposed population within a given time period (the population and time are often event-specific)
  • Request, receive, and distribute federal Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) provided materials in a timely manner

Public & Private PODs

Both public and private PODs play a vital role in the mass distribution of medication. Learn more about the difference between public and private PODs.

Mass Dispensing

Protecting the health of residents is the first priority in any situation. If an epidemiological investigation reveals an exposure has occurred that may threaten the public's health, mass prophylaxis or vaccination may be an effective disease control measure. The Health Department, in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will decide what treatment is appropriate.

Public Sites

Both Public and Private Point of Dispensing (POD) sites play a vital role in the mass distribution of medication. A Public POD is set up for the general population in strategic locations throughout the community. Public PODs are operated by public health experts and volunteers. A Public POD involves the following activities:

  • Setting up and executing a mass medication dispensing operation to serve potentially exposed populations before they become symptomatic
  • Locating and coordinating the personnel to staff the dispensing operation
  • Providing the public with information about community efforts to protect them from the threat
  • Isolating symptomatic individuals and arranging to transport them to acute care facilities, if needed 
  • Training and organizing Community Heroes volunteers to perform POD site functions

Private Sites

A Private POD is designated for specific groups that are pre-trained to dispense medications to their member populations. For instance, a Private POD may be used to protect first-responders in a emergency situation.