Bioterrorism and the SARS Experience conference summary

The Institute for Biosecurity, in conjunction with the St. Louis County Local Emergency Planning Committee and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, held a 2-day conference in suburban St. Louis on November 29-30, 2006.

Titled Bioterrorism and the SARS Experience, the conference brought together police and fire fighters, EMS, military, medical, government and HAZMAT professionals to hear from long-time experts in the field of bioterrorism and a first responder in the SARS outbreak that gripped Toronto in 2003.

The first day of the conference was devoted to bioterrorism and featured William Patrick who reviewed applicability of the lessons learned from the biological warfare programs of both the USA and the USSR to contemporary bioterrorism preparedness efforts. The second day of the conference focused on the Toronto EMS system and the lessons learned from that system’s management of both phases of the SARS outbreak in Toronto. Peter Macintyre, an Infection control practitioner for the Toronto EMS, was one of the team that helped to contain the outbreak, and he described in chilling detail the onset of the outbreak and its medical, social, political, and financial implications. Macintyre noted that both he and his wife ( a nurse) were quarantined for a period during the outbreak. Videos of the both days of the conference are being edited and will be available by mid February.

The Edward Jones Company donated their corporate auditorium for the conference, which provided a comfortable and professional environment for our guest speakers and conference attendees. We hope to be able to host additional conferences in the future on subjects of interest to our local and student communities.

Interview with William Patrick III
Institute members also held an informal interview with Professor Patrick. The most startling item to come out of that interview was Bill’s recounting of his orders during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The tape of that interview is in the final editing process and will be posted on our web page soon.

Changed Response Protocols for Paramedics in Toronto
Toronto EMS changed its response protocols for paramedics responding to medical calls following the second wave of the SARS outbreak. It is now their policy that the medics are required to have an N-95 mask, goggles and gloves on before they enter the victim’s premises when responding to certain medical calls. During Mr. Macintyre’s presentations it became apparent that all EMS systems should adopt Toronto-like protocols to protect their responders from airborne and respiratory droplet exposure. As we delay making the necessary changes we are abrogating of our responsibility to those we put in harms way and leave the EMS system vulnerable to future emerging infectious diseases.

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