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Knox County Health Department

News Release

June 30, 2008

For more information,
Contact: Ranee Randby,
Knox County Health Dept.
215-5534 or 388-6186

KCHD EMERGENCY DRILL IS A FIRST FOR TENNESSEE

Special Accommodations Made for Media

Today, Monday, June 30, the Knox County Health Department (KCHD) will test a disaster preparedness system that is new to Tennessee. Public Health officials will be practicing a drive-through “Point of Dispensing” system, or POD, from 1 to 3 p.m. at Karns High School. You are invited to observe first-hand as Knox County Public Health professionals test key resources in preparation for a community-wide emergency.

The drill site will be secure. To facilitate the media, there will be early access to the site through the Byington-Solway Career and Technical Education Center at 2700 Byington-Solway Road. This area has been designated the Joint Visitors Center (JVB) where media and observers will receive credentials. Directions are below for your reference.

KCHD is providing a guided bus tour of the entire drill site starting from the JVB at 12:45 p.m. (Videotaping and photographs are encouraged during and after the tour.) Interviews will be available with Dr. Martha Buchanan, medical director, KCHD Director Mark Jones, KCHD Deputy Director Mark Miller and John Lott, KCHD director of nursing and POD director. After the tour, media will have additional access to the site, if needed, for videotaping or photographs.

This drill will also test the Homeland Security Strategic National Stockpile, which is a massive stockpile of pharmaceuticals, vaccines, medical supplies, equipment and other items to augment the local supplies of critical medical items in the event of a large scale emergency incident. In the event that a real POD would be opened, the Strategic National Stockpile would be the source for the medications dispensed at the POD.

Due to the scale and scope of the drill, Emergency Response professionals from across the state, the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state of Mississippi will also be present during the exercise.

Joint Visitors Bureau (JVB) Location: Byington-Solway Career and Technical Education Center
2700 Byington-Solway Road, Knoxville, TN 37931 (865) 693-3511

Directions to Byington-Solway Career and Technical Education Center (JVB Location):

From Downtown Knoxville:
Take Interstate 40W and turn north onto Pellissippi Parkway/Hwy 162.
Take the Hardin Valley Road exit. Take a right onto Hardin Valley Road going east.

Turn left onto Westcott Blvd (at traffic light). Go straight and Westcott becomes Byington Solway Road. The Technical Education Center will be on the left, #2700. There should be signs to guide your way.