Volunteers needed for emergency preparedness exercises Sept. 28

The Division of Public Health is looking for volunteers to participate in an emergency preparedness exercise Saturday, Sept. 28, at two Delaware Technical Community College campuses. The purpose of the exercise is to evaluate the state’s ability to set up dispensing points and simulate the distribution of life-saving medication in an emergency situation.

Volunteers will report to either the Delaware Tech Stanton Campus in Newark or the Terry Campus in Dover. DPH is seeking volunteers for one-hour time slots at each location between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Lunch will be provided to registered volunteers. During the exercise, volunteers will fill out forms and proceed through a line five to seven times to simulate medication dispensing to a large segment of Delaware’s population.

To register, individuals can go to https://conta.cc/2STTHz1 and indicate the campus and preferred time slot for which they would like to volunteer. Participation is not required for the entire day, but registration is mandatory. No ID is required to participate.

“This exercise is an excellent opportunity for our staff to test our response capability and address any areas that may need improvement. It is imperative that in the event of a real-life incident, we are as prepared as possible to respond to the situation while keeping all Delaware residents safe and healthy,” said Dr. Karyl Rattay, DPH director. “We highly encourage members of the public to volunteer for this event and directly support DPH in its efforts to prepare for potential public health threats.”

For more information or to sign up a group of people to volunteer, contact exercise coordinators Shawn Foster or Trina Cale-Rosario at 302-223-1720.