In Case of an Emergency, Go to School

Dire predictions of a Swine Flu pandemic have prompted Darien public officials to prepare for what may be one of worst traffic jams in history: a mass inoculation clinic of the entire town population at Darien High School.

Superintendent Donal Fiftal and Director of Health David Knauf presented a "Memorandum of Understanding" to the Board of Education Tuesday night, which sets forth an agreement between the Town and the Board regarding the use of school facilities for emergency purposes. As it stands, the Board has jurisdiction and control over school buildings in Darien; consent from the Board is necessary should the Town need to use their facilities in an emergency.

Emergency Services Director Marc McEwan and Knauf began theoretical planning for a mass inoculation back in the spring, as part of routine emergency planning. But with H1N1 virus an imminent threat, and the distribution of vaccines now widely publicized, those discussions have quickly moved from their initial theoretical context to a new reality.

“What would happen, worst case scenario, if everyone in the community needed to get a flu shot in a relatively short period of time?” asked Fiftal. “Well, we have a jewel in Darien; and the jewel happens to be the high school.”

With its large size and circular traffic pattern, Fiftal and Knauf have their eyes set on Darien High School as a prime location for mass medicine distribution. In such an event, school nurses, volunteers and local physicians would distribute upwards of 4,000 dosages of vaccine per day, during after-school or weekend hours. Vaccination stations would be set up in the school auditorium, with various other medical evaluation and form distribution sites stationed throughout the building. As for the traffic flow—or jam—Fiftal said discussions with police are underway; a swine-flu vaccination shuttle bus is not out of the question.

While the notion of a school-based mass inoculation might seem daunting, it’s no novelty. Baby boomers can remember rolling up their sleeves in the 1950s, when health officials ordered mass inoculation at schools for polio. And while Knauf and Fiftal stressed that such major plans would only transpire if “normal daily life as we know it was threatened,” they are, nevertheless, necessary plans to develop and discuss.

“We’re hoping it doesn’t become a reality with H1N1, but if we have an understanding of the memorandum and a plan of execution in place, in effect we’ll be ready,” said Knauf, who added that all communities have been asked to have this kind of memorandum in place.

Unlike a flu shot at a local physician’s office, school distributions would be free of charge. Fiftal said the Town would be responsible for covering all operational and custodial costs of running the clinics in the high school, and Knauf added that in a truly catastrophic event, the federal government would pick up the tab. But that’s all hypothetical.

“I don’t think there’s any way to address the costs at this point,” said Fiftal. “Ultimately that will be a Town decision, not a Board decision.”

Regardless of the severity of the H1N1 outbreak, distribution of H1N1 vaccine at all Darien public schools for students is likely to take place this fall. Health officials have identified school children as one of the high priority groups to receive the vaccine, and as deliveries are likely to be made in intervals, Knauf said that in-school distribution plans are necessary. School administration and parents have been looped into the coordination efforts. Still, those plans remain tentative.

“These plans all hinge on how much vaccine the town will receive and when,” said Knauf.

Up in the air and also under development, said Fiftal:

“The work is in the preliminary planning states, and we have reached the point where the Board of Education needs to be updated.”

The public at large will be updated regularly, said Knauf, and all important information concerning H1N1 virus will be made available on the Town Web site.

Read Knauf’s  most recent update on the status of the virus and vaccine delivery here: Community Notice: Swine Flu Update.