WKU News & Events

February 26, 2002

WKU Organizes Two-Day Workshop
On Bioterrorism

Bowling Green, Ky. - The community's response to bioterrorism will be the focus of a two-day workshop next week in Bowling Green.

Western Kentucky University's Department of Nursing and the South Central Kentucky Area Health Education Center will present "Bioterrorism: Responding to the Threat" March 7-8 at Living Hope Baptist Church, 1805 Westen Ave.

The workshop is open to anyone but is geared toward health care professionals, emergency management personnel and government leaders, according to Freda Embry, assistant professor in WKU's Department of Nursing.

Plans for the workshop began before Sept. 11 but took on added significance after the attacks on America, she said.

"Originally, this was going to be a continuing education program for nurses," Embry said. "After we began to plan we realized that there was definitely a wider audience and we pulled in many consultants from the various related organizations. We learned there are many issues to deal with in preparing for an attack of this nature and many different organizations responsible for responding.

"One overarching objective is to get these people together and design a learning opportunity so that they can learn more about each other and how they would have to work together in the event of an attack."

The first day of the workshop, which begins at 8 a.m. Thursday, will provide information about the current threat of bioterrorism in the United States, biological agents that may be used for bioterrorism, and systems in place to detect and respond to bioterrorism.

During Friday's sessions, which begin at 7:50 a.m., participants will experience community mobilization and problem solving through observation, interaction and participation in a simulated bioterrorism event. The focus will be on the importance of cooperation, communication and coordination in the community's response to the threat of bioterrorism.

Workshop speakers include representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Emergency Preparedness, the Kentucky Department for Public Health, Bowling Green/Warren County Emergency Management and Louisville/Jefferson County Emergency Management.

The planning committee included representatives from the nursing departments at Western Kentucky University and WKU's Bowling Green Community College, South Central Area Health Education Center, Barren River District Health Department, Bowling Green/Warren County Emergency Management, Kentucky Division of Emergency Management and Kentucky Emergency Medical Services Academy.

Registration deadline is Friday, March 1. The cost is $30 for one day or $50 for both. For registration information, contact Angie Drexler at (270) 745-3762.

For more information, contact Freda Embry at (270) 745-5546. More WKU news is available on the World Wide Web at www.wku.edu. If you'd like to receive WKU news via E-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.