Wisconsin Department of Health Services and partners conduct large-scale anthrax response

This week, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) and more than 40 federal, state, local and private partners are jointly testing emergency plans in the second largest full-scale exercise of its kind in the country this year. The exercise involved the simulated delivery and distribution of antibiotics to treat those who may have been exposed to Bacillus anthracis, most commonly referred to as anthrax.

“There is nothing more important than the health and safety of the people who live here, which means we must be ready to respond to many situations that could pose a serious threat,” said DHS Secretary Kitty Rhoades. “Drills like this help ensure we are ready to react immediately, appropriately, and efficiently, and all residents can take comfort in knowing that DHS and our partners are prepared should a crisis like this occur.”

The two-day exercise executed June 13-14 tests more than a decade of local, state, and federal planning in response to a scenario involving the release of aerosolized anthrax in southeastern Wisconsin. The drill began with the escorted shipment of empty pill bottles, simulating antibiotics, to a confidential central location. These bottles were then distributed to more than 1500 volunteers participating across fourteen dispensing sites around southeastern Wisconsin, including the Waukesha Expo Center.

“Exercises like this ensure that our public health agencies have the necessary training, resources, and partnerships in place to effectively maintain the safety of our residents in case of an emergency,” said Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow.

In an aerosolized anthrax emergency, people who may have been exposed must begin taking antibiotics within 48 hours to prevent serious illness and/or death. Local public health agencies, healthcare organizations, schools and universities, and private businesses, like GE Healthcare of Waukesha, have worked collaboratively to find ways to quickly and effectively dispense medications to employees and the general public.

“Emergencies don’t have a schedule, so being able to practice what our business would need to do to protect our employees in the event of an actual health crisis will be useful information to have as part of our overall business safety plan,” stated  Chuck Nugent, Vice President of Global Supply Chain at GE Healthcare.

The exercise is part of the Cities Readiness Initiative, a national program out of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services facilitated the planning and conduct of this exercise with the following federal, state, local and private partners.

Local Public Health Agencies

• Central Racine County Health Department
• City of Milwaukee Health Department
• City of Racine Public Health Department
• Cudahy Health Department
• Fond du Lac County Health Department
• Franklin Health Department
• Greendale Village Health Department
• Greenfield Health Department
• Hales Corners Health Department
• Kenosha County Health Department
• North Shore Health Department
• Oak Creek Health Department
• Ozaukee County Health Department
• South Milwaukee Health Department
• St. Francis Health Department
• Walworth County Health Department
• Washington County Health Department
• Waukesha County Health Department
• Wauwatosa Health Department
• West Allis Health Department

Hospitals

• Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin – Wauwatosa, Milwaukee County
• Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital – Milwaukee, Milwaukee County
• Columbia St. Mary’s Hospital – Mequon, Ozaukee County
• GE Healthcare – Waukesha, Waukesha County
• Post Acute Medical Specialty Hospital of Milwaukee – Greenfield, Milwaukee County
• St. Agnes Hospital – Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County
• University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, Milwaukee County
• Waukesha Memorial Hospital – Waukesha, Waukesha County

Other key partners included Wisconsin Emergency Management; the Wisconsin National Guard; the Wisconsin Department of Corrections; the Wisconsin State Patrol; the US Department of Health and Human Services; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the United States Marshal Service; the American Red Cross; the Milwaukee, Racine, and Ozaukee County Amateur Radio Emergency Services/Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services, and local law enforcement and local emergency management agencies.

Video Footage of Day One of the Exercise

Yesterday, pallets of drugs were shipped by semi across the border to Wisconsin with a US Marshall escort, and delivered to a secured warehouse at an undisclosed location (confidential location for security reasons).

Volunteers were tasked with unloading the pallets of “medication” within one hour, since each portion of the drill is based on speed, and how long it takes to transport and dispense the meds.

View the day one video footage(link is external), which can be downloaded for use in news stories.