Strategic National Stockpile

The Strategic National Stockpile is part of the federal medical response infrastructure and can supplement medical countermeasures needed by states, Tribal nations, and territories during public health emergencies. The supplies, medicines, and devices for lifesaving care contained in the stockpile can be used as a short-term, stopgap buffer when the immediate supply of these materials may not be available or sufficient. The SNS is part of the U.S. Health and Human Services Agency's Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response.

The SNS manages a portfolio of medical countermeasures to respond to:

• Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats;
• Burn and blast events;
• Emerging infectious diseases and pandemics; and
• Natural disasters.

Nevertheless, the formulary will not cover every possible threat, and the SNS works closely with commercial supply chain partners to secure medical countermeasures required for any public health response.

SNS warehouses are professionally managed by commercial third-party vendors at warehouses located strategically around the country. Transportation is also provided by third-party commercial vendors. Medical countermeasures are typically distributed from SNS warehouses to a location identified by CDPHE. Finally, they’re distributed to local health jurisdictions or health care providers, depending on the type of response.

Cities Readiness Initiative

The Cities Readiness Initiative is a federal program aimed at enhancing and speeding up emergency response capabilities in densely populated areas that are at high risk. The planning efforts focus on potential events involving the intentional release of Category A biological agents, which includes anthrax, botulism, plague, and others. The primary goal is to ensure that medical countermeasures are delivered and dispensed to 100% of the affected population within 48 hours.

CHEMPACK

CHEMPACK is a component of the SNS program. The purpose of the CHEMPACK program is to strategically place chemical and nerve agent antidotes, enabling state and local governments to have rapid and sustainable access to resources for effectively responding to chemical incidents.

In collaboration with CDPHE, the SNS program has pre-positioned stockpiles of nerve agent antidotes throughout Colorado.

Points of Dispensing

In a public health emergency, large numbers of people may require medication or medical supplies rapidly to prevent the spread of disease. Points of Dispensing are designated sites organized by public health to distribute these essential resources.

Training courses

Log in or create an account on CO.Train and search for “Mass Dispensing” or “Points of Dispensing.”