Good Emergency Management Practice: The Essentials
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Every country has its own unique set of circumstances, and the contents of the contingency plan need to be tailored to best meet the requirements of individual countries. The contingency plan is only produced to be of use to those who develop it. But there are certain elements that are required to be present in a contingency plan if it is to have the required effect of enabling rapid control of an outbreak. The following extensive list attempts to show what elements could be covered and some elements that may be useful. Since the contingency plan should be concise, achievable and readily understood, perhaps only some of these elements might be considered initially.
Contingency plan contents Required chapter headings 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
Legislation Finance Command and control Nature of the disease Size, structure and movements and trading patterns of relevant live stock populations Wildlife Policy Resource plans Laboratories Vaccination Public awareness Communication Establishing disease freedom Recovery Other possible contingency plan chapters
Specific chapter contents 1. Legislation 1.1 Disease(s) of interest included in the official list of notifiable diseases 1.2 Powers to enter and take samples on suspicion 1.3 Powers to impose quarantine on infected and suspect premises 1.4 Powers to impose movement controls 1.5 Powers to cull all susceptible stock on infected premises/units/villages 1.6 Powers to require compulsory vaccination 1.7 Powers to regulate importation of animals, animal products and other sources 1.8 Compensation for culled animals and materials destroyed in disease-control options 1.9 Importation of biologicals, reagents and therapeutic agents in the event of an emegency 2. Finance 2.1 Agreed initial emergency funding for a limited epidemic 2.2 Legislation
