Disaster Preparedness in Massachusetts: Ready? Or not? May 3, 2007

Paul D. Biddinger, MD, FACEP, chairman of the Massachusetts Medical Society Committee on Preparedness, and physician at Massachusetts General Hospital; Lisa Stone, MD, Hospital Preparedness Coordinator, Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Moderated by Stephen Smith, Boston Globe public health reporter

Thursday, May 3
6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Old South Meeting House
Real and predicted calamities during the last decade have placed a sharp focus on America's need to prepare for disaster. In particular, Hurricane Katrina showed the nation just how devastating a lack of preparation can be. Massachusetts now faces a host of questions about our ability to respond to emergency situations – whether it is an LNG tank explosion or an avian flu pandemic. Officials are raising their voices to say we need to do more, and do it soon. But is anyone listening? With the State Legislature yet to act on a pandemic preparations bill and hospital emergency rooms throughout the Commonwealth already operating beyond capacity, just how ready is our state to cope with a major disaster? What really needs to be done to prepare? And what are the consequences of inaction?
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
No registration necessary.

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