With New Jersey reporting five possible cases (story here), and the swine flu threat raised by the World Health Organization to a '4' (out of a possible '6'), Plainfielders may well wonder what emergency plan Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs has in place.
And wonder. And wonder. And wonder.
While the front page of the city's website has a link to a Fact Sheet (PDF) on swine flu (see here), it gives the appearance of being a CDC fact sheet, with yesterday's CDC confirmations. Credit should probably go to the city's new Health Officer, whose name you will not learn from the city's website.
However, the fact sheet leaves unanswered a couple of questions that are the responsibility of Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs --
- Why is no press release from the mayor on this matter posted on the city website? (For that fact, there is no press release for tonight's -- apparently hastily called -- forum on recreation either.)
- Why is there no mention of an emergency plan to deal with an outbreak, should one occur?
Back in May of 2008, the CountyWatchers' Pat Quattrocchi posted a thoughtful piece on the problems the closure of Muhlenberg posed for Union County's disaster preparedness plans (see here) --
The County’s Office of Emergency Management Director, Frank Guzzo, made an important observation at the March 6th Freeholder meeting when he commented that “[Muhlenberg's] closing affects the county’s disaster preparedness plans, which will have to be reviewed and revised.”Plainfield is supposed to have its own Disaster Preparedness Plan as part of the county's overall emergency preparedness.
Last summer, writing about an emergency gas main leak on East 2nd Street, I noted that the event raised questions about Mayor Robinson-Briggs' disaster plan (full story here) --
[This event] raises questions about the general safety of Plainfielders should a disaster -- natural or man-made -- happen...[w]hich raises the question of the city's Disaster Preparedness Plan.Let's hope it's not called 'Unity through disaster'.
Where is it? Many cities have the public information component of their plans online. So, you can find Plainfield's online, right? Dream on.
The plan, which was massively updated during the simulated bioterrorist attack a few years ago, has as its major component a fully functioning and equipped acute-care hospital -- Muhlenberg.
Without Muhlenberg, the plan will need to be updated. Or maybe it already has been? With another hospital as the location to which the sick or wounded would be transported.
By the Plainfield Rescue Squad's only working ambulance.
Right past Muhlenberg for another 20 minutes or so to JFK. Or would it be over the highway and through the woods to Overlook? Or maybe a hop down traffic-clogged Rt 22 to Somerset MC. A zigzag through Piscataway's local streets to RWJ?
I'm sure it's all been planned out, and you can rest your little head without a worry.
I'm sure the Mayor has a plan.
- Plainfield Website: "Swine Flu Fact Sheet"
- Ledger: "Jersey reports 5 likely cases of swine flu"
- CountyWatchers, 5/4/2008: "How will hospital closing affect Union County?"
- Plainfield Today, 8/21/2008: "How safe are you?"
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2 comments:
Who is the person that would perpare the press release?
What ever came about of the so-called "task force" that Assemblyman Green was touting to the press when the news of Muhlenberg's closing was first announced in February of 2008?
Yes that's right, February 2008.
PLENTY of time to get the "situation in hand". Yaawwwnn.
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