Formidable Footprint FL - AL Exercise

The Florida - Alabama Formidable Footprint Exercise was held at the Escambia County Emergency Operations Center on Feb 11. There were 37 participants from the Florida Panhandle and 17 Participants from Southeast Alabama representing: Alabama Public Health, Alabama Hospitals, Alabama County Emergency Management, Pensacola Naval Air Station, Hulbert Field Air Force Base, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Hospitals, Emergency Medical Services, and Florida County Health Departments. As in the FL/GA Footprint exercise, four modules were presents in an escalating pandemic scenario. The written facts presented in each module were punctuated by "Breaking News" videos which added realism and emphasis to the need for consistent risk communications across both sides of the state border. Hospitals provided excellent discussion of logistics issues affecting their operations as the pandemic worsened -- just-in-time inventories and the realization that hospitals on both sides of the border used the same vendors and suppliers. Topics related to off-site triage-sites, alternative standards of care, and roles for faith-based and neighborhood organizations and volunteers, also provided spirited discussion. This Blog has been established to invite attendees to keep lines of communications open across county and state borders.