The Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) is part of the federal medical response infrastructure and can supplement medical countermeasures needed by states, tribal nations, territories and the largest metropolitan areas during public health emergencies. The supplies, medicines, and devices for lifesaving care contained in the stockpile can be used as a short-term, stopgap buffer when the immediate supply of these materials may not be available or sufficient.
Florida’s medical countermeasure program prepares (through planning, implementation, training, exercise, and evaluation) the state to receive and distribute medical countermeasures and to provide technical assistance to the counties in their preparations for mass dispensing and/or mass vaccination campaigns.
CHEMPACK Program
CHEMPACKs are containers of nerve agent antidotes placed in secure locations in local jurisdictions around the country to allow rapid response to a chemical incident. These medications treat the symptoms of nerve agent exposure and can be used even when the actual agent is unknown.
Because these antidotes must be administered quickly, the CHEMPACK team maintains 1,960 containers strategically placed in more than 1,340 locations in the United States. More than 90% of the U.S. population is within 1 hour of a CHEMPACK location. Most are in hospitals or fire stations selected by local authorities to support a rapid hazmat response and can be accessed quickly if hospitals or first responders need them.
The medications in CHEMPACKs work by treating the symptoms of nerve agent exposure. The CHEMPACK formulary consists of three types of drugs: one that treats the excess secretions caused by nerve agents, such as excess saliva, tears, urine, vomiting, and diarrhea; a second one that treats symptoms such as high blood pressure, rapid heart rate, weakness, muscle tremors and paralysis; and a third that treats and can prevent seizures.
Cities Readiness Initiative
Focuses on enhancing preparedness in counties and major metropolitan statistical areas.