HomeMy WebLinkAboutDTS-09-152 - Pandemic PlanningREPORT
REPORT T0:
DATE OF MEETING:
SUBMITTED BY:
PREPARED BY:
WARD(S) INVOLVED:
DATE OF REPORT:
REPORT NO.:
SUBJECT:
Mayor Zehr and Members of Council
October 13, 2009
Tim Beckett, Fire Chief
Tim Beckett, Fire Chief
All
October 7, 2009
DTS - 09-152
Pandemic Planning
RECOMMENDATION:
"That Council receive this report for information purposes only."
BACKGROUND:
Influenza (commonly known as the flu) is a contagious virus that circulates on a yearly basis
causing seasonal outbreaks of respiratory illness. An Influenza Pandemic occurs when a strain
of the influenza virus takes on the following characteristics:
-changes in composition
-becomes highly contagious
-spreads easily from person to person
-moves rapidly around the world
Since the general populace is not immune to the new virus, it will affect more people and cause
higher rates of illness and mortality. It is difficult to predict the exact impact an influenza
pandemic will have on the City of Kitchener. However it is recognized that there will be a severe
strain on health care services as increasingly high numbers of residents seek medical care. We
also recognize that there will be effects on the city workforce and our ability to continue to
service the citizens.
REPORT:
The City of Kitchener has a plan in place in the event of an influenza pandemic, so to ensure
business continuity impact is reduced and kept to a minimum. This plan is identified as a
collaborative, coordinated and flexible plan for response identifying:
• Leadership Structure and Key Roles in a Pandemic
• The corporate response to an escalation in Pandemic (Communications, minimizing
illness and division action plans}
• Preparations required prior to a declared pandemic (identifying essential services, action
plans, skill sets of existing staff, training and education of staff and establishment of
policies and protocols)
• Recovery Processes once the pandemic passes.
• A Corporate Communications Plan (both internal and external)
The City of Kitchener Plan has been developed working closely with the Region of Waterloo. In
the event of a declared pandemic emergency in the Region, the Regional Public Health Unit is
the lead agency and much of our direction will come from them. The Region is responsible to
ensure the public is educated and kept informed. As partners we have ensured that our internal
and external communication plans are consistent with the messaging that is/will be transmitted
by the Public Health Unit. The Kitchener Plan is primarily focussed on business continuity plans
so that government can continue to function and provide the necessary services and protection
for the citizens.
The plan is not a stand alone document, but a companion document to the Corporate
Emergency Plan. In the event of a declared pandemic emergency the Corporate Emergency
Plan would be enacted and the Pandemic Plan would be instituted to deal with the identified
emergency.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Currently there are minimal costs for education and personal protective equipment (PPE),
however the direct costs as a result of a pandemic are unknown at this time. Proper pre
planning and action during the pandemic will minimize these costs.
COMMUNICATIONS:
An internal and external communications plan has been developed to ensure consistent and
timely messaging to employees and the public.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Jeff Willmer, General Manager, DTS