Law enforcement, emergency services and public health officials awaiting President Bush’s expected announcement to resume smallpox vaccinations focused Thursday on planning efforts to stem the threat of bioterrorism.

“The idea is to have regional emergency planning for general emergencies and hazardous issues, including terrorism and bioterrorism,” said Donna M. Hansen, Clallam County emergency planner/trainer.

Hansen, along with North Health Officer Dr. Thomas Locke and Regional Emergency Response Coordinator Rick Gunderson met Thursday to discuss bioterrorism issues.

Locke serves as the health officer for both Clallam and Jefferson Counties, and Gunderson’s jurisdiction includes Clallam, Jefferson and Kitsap counties.

Among the issues they discussed was how 600 medical workers would be required to mass inoculate 60,000 Clallam County residents against smallpox, should the Bush administration deem it necessary.

—————-

The rest of this story appears in the Friday/Saturday Peninsula Daily News. Click on SUBSCRIBE, above, to get the PDN delivered to your home or office.