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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 10211986 - 2.4 a � THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order on October 21 , 1986 , by the following vote: AYES: Supervisors Fanden, Schroder, McPeak, Torlakson, Powers NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None SUBJECT: Medical Expertise on Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Teams On September 9 , 1986 the Board requested the Health Services Director to report on the feasibility and financial impli- cations of including medical expertise on the Hazardous Materials Response Team. The Board received the attached report dated October 10 , 1986 from Wendel Brunner, M.D. , Assistant Health Services Director, Public Health, commenting on various aspects of the emergency response capability maintained by the Health Services Department, the role played by medical personnel, and the additional training that may be required. Supervisor McPeak expressed her support of the emergency response program being implemented by Health Services and urged that further training programs be continued. Dr. Brunner noted that the Health Services Department is also working to coordinate resources available in the private sector that could be called upon for assistance in a toxic emergency. There being no further comment, IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that receipt of the above report from the Health Services Director is ACKNOWLEDGED. ce: Health Services Director County Administrator I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: J -fie, /9'ff4 PHIL BATCHELOR, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and County Administrator By , Deputy Clerk of the Board 2-004 .. CONTRA COSTA COUNTY HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT To: Board of Supervisors Date: via Phil Batchelor = October 10, 1986 County Administrator From: Subject: Mark Finucane Medical Expertise in Health Services Director Hazardous Materials Emergency by Wendel Brunner, M.D. Response Team Assistant Health Services Director Public Health In response to the Board Order on September 9, 1986, we are reporting on the feasibility and financial implications of including medical expertise on the Hazardous Materials Response Team. The Contra Costa County Health Services Department maintains a 24 hour capabi- lity to provide emergency response to hazardous materials incidences. That response capability is provided by a mobile hazardous materials laboratory staffed by trained occupational health specialists, chemists, or industrial hygienists who can characterize the hazards involved in a materials incident, provide advice on actions required to protect the community and first respon- ders, and oversee the cleanup of hazardous materials. A medical component of hazardous materials emergency response is primarily to evaluate the potential health impacts on the community of a release in order to implement evacuations or other public health measures, and to assess the health risk to first responders so that they can be adequately protected. We do not believe that it is necessary or cost effective to include a physician on the 24 hour initial response team, as in the majority of cases these hazard assessments can be made by the trained occupational health specialists who do respond. The Contra Costa County Health Services Department maintains, however, a physician - health officer on call 24 hours a day in order to provide medical consultation to the response team, and to respond personally to the site as necessary. The County health officer on call has available for consultation the Regional Poison Control Center at the University of California at San Francisco General Hospital for hazardous materials emergencies. The Poison Control Center is staffed 24 hours a day by clinical toxicologists. They in turn have medical specialists available as backup, including Dr. Charles Becker of U.C.S.F. clini- cal pharmacology, and Dr. James Cone, Medical Director of San Francisco General ' s Occupational Health Clinic and our own Occupational Health Clinic in Richmond. Dr. Cone, in particular, is available to respond for emergency con- sultation .at our Health Department's request. The health officer on call, in conjunction with consultation with specialists, would provide direction to ambu- lances and local emergency rooms regarding triage and treatment of victims during any multi-casualty toxic event, and make decisions regarding evacuations or other public health measures necessary to protect the community. A-41 3/81 i Board of Supervisors -2- October 10, 1986 Subsequent to the time we last reported to the Board on this issue in May, we have participated in a drill with Chevron Chemical and Richmond police and fire incorporating these medical response plans and the San Francisco General Hospital Poison Control Center. There is need for further training of the health officers in responding to toxics incidences and additional experience coordinating the activities of the Health Department with local industry emergency response, fire and police, and our consultants through the University. The cost of such training is primarily the staff time involved, with some addi- tional cost for courses and consultants. Such a training program would be orga- nized as part of the comprehensive environmental health education program which we have proposed as part of our response to the recommendations of the Hazardous Waste Task Force. Elements of that program are already being implemented, with a training session organized jointly by Contra Costa Health Education and the State Health Services Department for health professionals in Solano, Contra Costa, and Alameda Counties to be held in December. Further specific training for the physician responders needs to be planned. WB:rm cc: William Walker, M.D. Medical Director 18medrespl