The mission of the University at Albany Center for Public Health Preparedness is to improve the capacity
    of the public health workforce in the states of New York and Vermont to respond to current and emerging 
    public health threats with a focus on bioterrorism and infectious disease outbreaks. 


History of University at Albany Pandemic Influenza Planning Committee
• School of Public Health - Center for Public Health Preparedness (CPHP) - 12/05
• UAlbany Emergency Management Team - 6/06
• College/University Flu Planning Meeting (CPHP and Albany, Rensselaer, and Schenectady County DOH) -7/06
• Albany County DOH - 8/06
• SUNY System Administration - 8/06


GOAL OF COMMITTEE
• To put together an emergency management plan for a pandemic influenza event that integrates with our 
Campus Emergency Plan

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• UNC Pandemic Influenza Response Plan – Incident level Responsibilities
• Matrix Plan 
• Fit in well with our Campus Emergency Plan
• Changed titles to fit our organizational structure
• Asked each committee member to start building in the matrix under their operational area
• SUNY System Administration adopted the same template
What Has Worked Well For UAlbany
• KEY PERSONNEL:
• VP for Finance and Business
• Director of Environmental Health and Safety
• Director of the Center for Public Health Preparedness
• University Medical Director
What Has Worked Well For UAlbany
    KEY GROUPS:
• Finance and Business – includes VP’s Office, Human Resources, University Auxiliary Services, Institutional 
Services, Physical Plant, and Environmental Health and Safety
• Academic Affairs – includes Provost and VP’s Office, Undergraduate and Graduate Studies, International 
Student Services, and Center for Public Health Preparedness
• Student Success – includes VP’s Office, Residential Life, Operations, University Medical Center, 
University Counseling Center, and University Police Department
• University Counsel
• Informational Technology Services
• Governmental, Public & Media Relations
• Dining Services
• Plus Invited Guests - Parking and Mass Transit Services

   

What Has Worked Well For UAlbany
• Composition of Committee
• Meet Regularly – Every Two Weeks
• Don’t Reinvent the Wheel – Work Wheel into Your Plan
• Spread Responsibility to the Appropriate Entities
• Work with Local and State Agencies
• Must Make Some Assumptions – 
        “Assume an influenza attack rate of 35% on staff”
	  “Assume all faculty/staff/students have access to Internet and UA
          e-mail services”


STUMBLING BLOCKS
• POLICY FORMATION 
• When do you close? 
• Who can make the decision to close the University?
• What are the trigger points?
• Who are the essential personnel?
• What do you do for tuition reimbursement?
• How do you handle the credit issue?
• What respirators do you provide N95s or surgical masks?
• What do you do with students that can’t get home?


PHILOSOPHY OF PLANNING COMMITTEE
• “Act sooner than later”
• Given what we know about pandemics, things will happen quickly
• We want every opportunity to get our students home, in order to reduce the number of potentially sick 
students on campus.
• Preplan and Act – Lessons from Katrina
ANY QUESTIONS?