2009 Public Health Preparedness Summit in San Diego
Texas A&M Health Science Center SRPH faculty to present plenary session
Scott Lillibridge, M.D., assistant dean for the Houston campus of the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health, will lead the closing plenary session of the 2009 Public Health Preparedness Summit on Feb. 20, 2009, in San Diego, California. This Summit will bring together approximately 2,000 public health, medical and emergency preparedness professionals to share information and enhance their skills in preparing for and responding to disasters. In this plenary session entitled, "Hurricane Ike: Public Health Surge Amid a Rising Tide", Dr. Lillibridge will introduce the topic and moderate the session, assembling key local, state and federal responders in the health sector to reflect on public health preparedness and response to Hurricane Ike.
More than five million people were directly affected by Hurricane Ike. Local, state and federal responders and officials were fully engaged in operational planning and response to minimize death and destruction and to optimize recovery throughout the region. Dr. Lillibridge will lead this 90-minute discussion that will include an impressive slate of panelists: Sandra Guerra-Cantu, MD, MPH, regional medical director, Health Service Region 8, Texas Department of State Health Services; Lori Upton, RN, BSN, assistant director Emergency Management, Texas Children's Hospital and Executive Director, Regional Hospital Preparedness Council; C. Mick Cote, M.S., C.E.M., field supervisor, Regional Emergency Coordinator Program, Region 6, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response; and Harlan "Mark" Guidry, M.D., M.P.H., C.E.O. and health authority for Galveston County and Cities, Galveston County Health District. Special issues will be addressed related to Medical Special Needs populations, health care facility evacuation and recovery. The federal, state and local interface will be explored. Session speakers will provide unique, operational perspectives related to their responses to Hurricane Ike.
The theme of this year's summit is "The Changing Face of Preparedness: Building and Sustaining Public health Capacity for Disaster Response". It is the largest conference of this type in the country. Mary desVignes-Kendrick, M.D., M.P.H., research scientist in the HSC-SRPH and former health director and health authority for the City of Houston has worked with the National Association of County and City Health Officials, (NACCHO) to conceptualize and promote this important public health preparedness panel.
