Environmental Health & Safety

Pandemic Response Planning

• PSU has formed a Pandemic Flu Planning Team of campus experts and key response departments to conduct pre-event planning and prepare specific pandemic flu response procedures.
• A pandemic coordinator has been identified whose primary responsibility is to coordinate the teams planning activities.
• In January 2006 PSU met with 6 other OUS universities to coordinate pandemic planning efforts.
• Key decision points are being developed to guide the executive leadership who may have to make decisions about curtailing public events or suspending classes.
• The PSU all-hazard Emergency Plan is being updated to include essential responsibilities, chain of command and response actions relevant to a pandemic event.
• Essential functions and essential personnel are being identified for the University's continued functioning during a pandemic event.
• Procedures and plans are being developed for supporting international, out-of-state and other students who may have to remain on campus if classes are suspended.
• Procedures and plans are being developed for supporting ill students who may continue to reside on campus if classes are suspended.
• In an outbreak or pandemic, Multnomah County Health Department and the State of Oregon have authority to direct public health actions, including quarantine. PSU is working closely with these agencies to make sure our preparations and plans are consistent with theirs.
• In October 2005, representatives from the PSU Department of Environmental, Health and Safety and the universities Student Health and Counseling center participated in a state wide drill for dispensing medication in response to a pandemic event.
• The Department of Environmental Health and Safety has analyzed the need for respiratory hygiene equipment (PPE) and is developing a procedure for their use.