DHSS Press Release |
Date: December 8, 2004 DHSS-143-2004 |
| Vincent P. Meconi, Secretary Karryl McManus, Deputy Secretary (302) 255-9047, Pager (302) 247-2116 |
Contact: Heidi Truschel-Light Phone: (302) 744-4907 Pager: (302) 247-1560 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DPH EXAMINES PREPAREDNESS FOR RADIOLOGICAL ATTACK AT DEC. 13 CONFERENCE
Media representatives welcome
Over 200 participants are expected at the "Dirty Bombs: Preparedness and Response" conference Dec. 13, co-presented by Delaware's Division of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health Preparedness and the Mid-Atlantic Public Health Training Center. The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Dover Downs Hotel and Conference Center, located at 1131 N. Dupont Hwy. in Dover.
Presenters will discuss the differences between radiological attacks and other forms of terrorism. This workshop will share current preparedness and response concepts, and lessons learned from drills, with a focus on communicating radiological attack threats to emergency responders. Conference speakers will address how best to communicate with the general public during threats of, or response to, radiological attacks. Since radiological attacks are designed to inflict psychological injuries, speakers will present a mental health perspective.
Speakers include: Jonathan Links, PhD, environmental health sciences professor, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Lt. Rodney Giacomelli, Criminal Intelligence Section, Baltimore City Police Department; Donald Lumpkins, Office for Domestic Preparedness, U. S. Department of Homeland Security; Daniel Barnett, MD, MPH, Principal Investigator, Mid-Atlantic Public Health Training Center; and George Everly, Jr., PhD, FAPM, psychology professor, Loyola College.
Those in attendance include the Delaware Emergency Management Agency, Delaware State Police, National Guard, U.S. Marshals, Delaware's Department of Health and Social Services' Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, pharmaceutical and medical communities, the City of Wilmington's Emergency Management Office, and police and state and local fire departments from Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Participant registration is full, but members of the media are welcome to attend.
Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.
