Strategic National Stockpile

The SNS is a national repository of antibiotics, chemical antidotes, antitoxins, life-support medications, IV administration, airway maintenance supplies, and medical or surgical items. The SNS is designed to supplement and resupply state and local public health agencies in the event of a national emergency anywhere and at anytime within the United States or its territories (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). 

The SNS is organized for flexible response. The first line of support lies within the immediate response, 12 hour Push Packages . These are caches of pharmaceuticals, antidotes, and medical supplies designed to provide rapid delivery of a broad spectrum of assets for an ill-defined threat in the early hours of an event. These Push Packages are positioned in strategically located, secure warehouses ready for immediate deployment to a designated site within 12 h of the federal decision to deploy SNS assets. 

If the incident requires additional pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, follow-on vendor managed inventory (VMI) supplies will be shipped to arrive within 24-36 h. If the agent is well defined, VMI can be tailored to provide pharmaceuticals, supplies, and products specific to the suspected or confirmed agents. In this case, the VMI could act as the first option for immediate response from the SNS Program. 

CW agents are also classified as persistent and nonpersistent. The former includes the vesicants, 

Chemical Warfare Agents Chemistry, Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Therapeutics 

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In 2003, the FDA approved Prussian blue for the treatment of contamination with radioactive cesium (137Cs) and intoxication with thallium salts. Approval was prompted by concern over potential widespread human contamination with radioactive cesium caused by terrorist use of a radioactive dispersal device ("dirty bomb"). The drug is part of the Strategic National Stockpile of pharmaceuticals and medical material maintained by the CDC... 

First used in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Federal Medical Shelters (FMS) are 250-bed capacity shelters equipped with equipment supplied, in part, from the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). Staffed by 150 USPHS, DOD, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the National Disaster Medical... 

In an attempt to assure universal availability of medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, and vaccines, the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS, formerly the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile) is a federally funded program that maintains a reserve of these items. In the event of disaster, the SNS may be activated to meet critical supply needs, particularly for those items that are rapidly consumed in the early management of patients during... 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2005). Strategic National Stockpile. Retrieved March 13, 2007 from http //www. bt.cdc.gov/stockpile/index.asp... 

The release of a nerve agent near a school would put a strain on local prehospital and in-hospital resources, with airway equipment, supplies of 2-PAM and atropine, and pediatric intensive care beds being quickly used and depleted (Aghababian, 2002). Therefore, health care professionals should know how their community accesses the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) and other resources to obtain medications and supplies in a timely manner. Additionally, hospitals should keep a 48-hour supply of pediatric equipment and pharmaceuticals on hand for their average daily census of pediatric patients, plus an additional 100 patients (Markenson Redlener, 2004). Stockpiled pharmaceuticals and equipment should be specifically for pediatric use or appropriately substituted for such use (Markenson Redlener, 2004). Hospital operations and preparedness policies should include pediatric care and treatment guidelines (Markenson Redlener, 2004). 

In a severe pandemic, the need for mechanical ventilators may far exceed hospital and Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) reserves. Using the CDC s FluSurge modeling software to predict the effects of DHHS planning assumptions for a severe pandemic, it can be predicted that in a typical city, with a pandemic of moderate duration and attack rate (8 weeks and 25 % respectively), at pandemic peak (Week 5), flu patients would require 191% of all non-intensive care unit (ICU) beds, 461% of all available ICU beds, and 198% of all available mechanical ventilators (Toner, 2005, December I). Even with greatly increased reserves, the SNS will not be able to provide supplies of ventilators adequate to meet the needs of hospitals in a pandemic. Moreover, they will not be able to rent equipment, and it is not practical for hospitals to purchase, maintain, and store expensive full feature mechanical ventilators just to have them on hand in case they are needed. 

Locate and review the Strategic National Stockpile Web site (http //www.bt.cdc.gov/stockpile/). 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2002, September 16). Smallpox Vaccination Clinic Guide. Retrieved February 27, 2007, from http //www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/ vaccination/pdf/smallpox-vax-clinic-guide.pdf Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2005, April 14). Strategic National Stockpile. Retrieved February 17, 2007, from http //www.bt.cdc.gOv/stockpile/ synopsis Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2007, February 21). Public Health Training Netivork. Retrieved February 27, 2007, from http //www.phppo.cdc.gov/phtn/default.asp... 

Terrorists may attempt to use drug resistant organisms in their attack. Obviously, it is imperative to obtain the appropriate specimens, perform antimicrobial susceptibility testing of isolates promptly, and alter mass treatment accordingly (43). All antibiotics useful in treating tularemia are included in the strategic national stockpile. Chapter 6 discusses how public health officials will implement mass treatment plans, and how they will involve primary care physicians. 

Waselenko, JK, MacVittie, TJ, Blakely, WF, et al. Medical Management of the ARS Recommendations of the Strategic National Stockpile Radiation Working Group. Annals of Internal Medicine, 140(12) 1037-1051, 2004... 

MRC volunteers also get opportunities to participate in exercises, such as working in point of dispensing (PODs) sites as part of a strategic national stockpile exercise. 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site (Strategic National Stockpile), http /www.bt.cdc.gov/ stockpile/ material (accessed December 2006). 

Strategic National Stockpile Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention... 

Describe the purpose and process of the strategic national stockpile. 

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