Oct. 7, 2019
Public health drills planned for W.Va.
Capitol, state offices
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – To protect West Virginia state
employees during public health emergencies, state officials are holding
training exercises Thursday to practice the Closed Point of Dispensing (CPOD) concept.
A
CPOD is a secure location where medications are dispensed. State agencies have
partnered with the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department to establish CPODs at
the State Capitol Complex, Lottery headquarters on Charleston’s West Side, and
Department of Environmental Protection headquarters in Kanawha City.
Each
site is meant to serve state employees located throughout its vicinity. The
goal of a CPOD is to help the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department dispense
medicine to state employees for themselves and their households. This approach
aids the KCHD in its public health mission while also helping to ensure
continuation of government operations in the event of an emergency.
The
live practice exercise is scheduled for 1 p.m. through 3 p.m. Thursday. Participating state employees have
received training to help them direct volunteer participants to each site,
operate the CPOD and assist Kanawha-Charleston Health Department staff.
The
Capitol Police, part of the Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety,
has helped the KCHD develop these CPODs. They are designed to serve employees
of all three branches of state government. CPODs are currently geared to
respond to an anthrax incident, but the model is designed to assist with other public
health emergencies as well as natural disasters. Additional sites are being
developed for other state government operations in Kanawha County.
-MORE-
State agencies in each CPOD zone
Capitol Complex (Zone 1):
·
All agencies on the Capitol Complex campus
·
All agencies between Chesapeake Avenue and
Ruffner Avenue
Kanawha City (Zone 2):
·
Department of Environmental Protection
·
Public Employees Insurance Agency
·
Division of Motor Vehicles
·
Housing Development Fund
·
Rehabilitation Services
·
Consolidated Retirement Board
·
Supreme Court – City Center
·
State Treasurer’s Office (Kanawha City)
·
State Auditor’s Office (Malden)
·
Auditor’s Security Division
·
Division of Highways – Dry Branch
·
Parkways Authority
·
Real Estate Division
West Side (Zone 7):
·
Lottery Commission
·
Racing Commission
·
Alcohol Beverage Control Administration
·
Insurance Commissioner
·
Medical Examiner
·
Division of Natural Resources
·
DHHR State Laboratory Services
·
DHHR Kanawha County Office
·
Board of Chiropractic Medicine
·
Office of Financial Institutions
·
Municipal Bond Commission
·
Athletic Commission
·
Educational Broadcasting Authority
·
Volunteer WV
·
Board of Risk and Insurance Management
·
Prosecuting Attorney’s Institute
·
Justice and Community Services section
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