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with the various issues confronting the County. The smallpox plan is one issue <br />and a policy has been developed for this. There are many grant opportunities <br />such as the Youth Tobacco Prevention Grant and they would like to knave haw <br />they could better convey the importance of this information to the Board. There <br />are also some key legislative issues that are emerging. <br />Melvin Hurston introduced the Healthy Partner staff that help to convey <br />information about key issues. He said that they need to understand how to share <br />this information with the Board of County Commissioners. <br />Commissioner Carey asked for any other comments and said that he knows that <br />the Regional Bio-terrorism Committee is made up of several Health Department <br />staff. He asked how the Orange County Health Department fits into that picture <br />and what the process is of getting this information back to the Board of County <br />Commissioners. <br />Health Director Rosie Summers said that she has been to several meetings and <br />there have been many bio-terrorism and disaster preparedness committees. <br />Duke and UNC Hospitals have agreed to meet together for disaster <br />preparedness. They are trying to get the hospitals prepared in the event of <br />mass casualties or a terrorist incident. The Health Departments have been <br />invited to participate in this because some of the funds from the federal <br />government are being channeled through State Public Health and State <br />Emergency Management. The Health Departments are providing surveillance, <br />which is the system of early identification of events that might signal that <br />something has happened. <br />Commissioner Carey asked if we were prepared in terms of technology. Rosie <br />Summers said that we are not as prepared as New Yark City. North Carolina <br />does not have the infrastructure in place yet but is working on this. Surveillance <br />systems take a long time to build. The reporting system now in the State is still <br />based on the "cards" -the old way-but over the next five years the State has <br />plans to go to an electronic reporting system. <br />Commissioner Carey asked if any of the money has trickled down to the local <br />levels yet. Rosie Summers said that there are several different pats of money <br />and EMS Director Nick Waters has access to some money and the Health <br />Department has received small amounts of money - $2,400 targeted for staff <br />training and $4,300 for communication to the public. They also applied for and <br />received notification that they will receive $39,000 for six months to help with the <br />organization of a volunteer medical board. <br />Melvin Hurston said that the question is how to filter information to the Board of <br />County Commissioners. <br />