The NNEPC works with many agencies to prepare for and respond to emergencies, such as terrorist attacks, industrial accidents and natural disasters.
The NNEPC performs a number of tasks:
- Drills: the NNEPC works with hospitals, health departments, the military, the Red Cross and others to test emergency policies and procedures.
- Hospital surveys: the NNEPC conducts biannual surveys of Northern New England hospitals to determine the antidotes they keep on hand, their lab capabilities and their patient services, such as dialysis and hyperbaric chambers. This allows the NNEPC to efficiently direct patients to most appropriate local hospital in the event of a mass poisoning.
- Call surge: the NNEPC can handle high call volume during an emergency, either from the public and health care facilities, or at the request of federal or state agencies.
- Maine stockpiles:the Maine CDC Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness contracts the NNEPC to manage state and federal antidote and antiviral stockpiles
- CHEMPACK – antidotes provided by the federal government
- Maine Antidote Stockpile – antidotes purchased by the State, through the NNEPC
- Strategic National Stockpile antivirals – drugs and personal protective equipment provided by the federal government to treat pandemic flu
- Maine Antiviral Stockpile – drugs purchased by the state to treat pandemic flu
For an overview, see the Maine Antidote Stockpile webinar recorded by NNEPC Medical Director Dr. Tamas Peredy in November 2012.
- Early-event detection: The NNEPC provides federal and state agencies with real-time data on mass poisoning events, outbreaks and poisoning trends. See NNEPC data and statistics for more information.
Learn how you can prepare for an emergency.
