The Center for Preparedness Education will host a two-day Preparedness Symposia and Nebraska Biocontainment Unit Training to take place at four locations throughout Nebraska. Locations are Gering, Kearney, Norfolk and Omaha.
Target audience for the training includes anyone in the health professions, first responders, emergency service providers, medical examiners, mortuary providers and critical infrastructure.
The center is a joint endeavor between Creighton University School of Medicine and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The center provides affordable, needs-based training, customized organizational assistance, and comprehensive resources to those involved in disaster preparedness, response and recovery.
The symposia will feature topics including climate change and emerging infectious diseases; nightclub fire response; Avian influenza; drones; social media in disasters; long term care evacuation and public health and Ebola.
Nebraska Biocontainment Unit training will feature training on caring for the highly infectious disease patient in a safe and effective manner. The education will describe processes utilized by Nebraska Medicine that will encourage discussion and promote plans that can be implemented in various settings throughout Nebraska.
Both events will be full-day sessions with participant check-in beginning at 7:30 a.m.
Events will be held in:
•Gering, April 12-13, Gering Civic Center, 1050 M St.
•Kearney, May 3-4, Holiday Inn Convention Center, 110 Second Ave.
•Norfolk, May 24-25, Divots Conference Center, 4200 W. Norfolk Ave.
•Omaha, June 14-15, Scott Conference Center, 6450 Pine St.
Registration is required. Cost is $45 for the Preparedness Symposia. Training on the Biocontainment Unit is free. Programs, materials, refreshments, and lunch are included on both days.
The two keynote speakers are from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health. They are:
•Ted Cieslak, M.D., associate professor of epidemiology, former chief consultant to the surgeon general, and Defense Department liaison to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
Topic — “Zika — A Warning of Global Warming.”
•Philip Smith, M.D., professor of epidemiology at the UNMC College of Public Health and medical director of the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit;
Topic: “Disease Transmission and Overview of Ebola Virus Disease.”
Program speakers include:
•Greg Allen, Bellevue University
•Kate Boulter, Nebraska Biocontainment Unit
•Barbara Dodge, Center for Preparedness Education
•Elizabeth Flood, Nebraska Medicine
•Justin Frederick, Douglas County Health Department
•Roger Glick, Carilion Clinic
•Dennis Hughes, D.V.M., Nebraska Department of Agriculture
•Lois Jensen, Nebraska Medicine
•Dave McGraw, Spanish Peaks Regional Health Center
•Jennifer Roberts-Johnson, J.D., Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
•Eric Sergeant, Ph.D., Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
•Shelly Schwedhelm, Nebraska Medicine
•Kevin Sur, Ohio Emergency Management Agency
•Angie Vasa, Nebraska Medicine
•Darius Watson, Ph.D., Bellevue University
For more information about the sessions and continuing education credits, go to http://www.preped.org/events/ or call 402.552.2529 or email center@preped.org.