Simulation exercise: Foot and mouth disease in the United States of America – Canada

Dr. Peter Fernandez, Delegate of the United States of America (USA) to the OIE, informed us that a simulation exercise for foot and mouth disease (FMD) will be conducted from 21 to 23 March 2005. The exercise will examine the cross-border interactions between the USA and Canada during a hypothetical FMD outbreak.

The specific objectives of the exercise are as follows:

– to activate the State and Provincial level emergency response plans;
– to work with State and Provincial management officials;
– to test the hierarchical communication system from the State and Provincial agencies, to Area and Regional personnel, and to the Federal headquarters of both countries;
– to activate selected Emergency Response Teams;
– to incorporate traceability systems for livestock where available;
– to examine vaccine distribution processes.

The exercise will involve emergency operations centers and/or command posts in a number of different locations, and will involve the border States of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, and the corresponding bordering Canadian Provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick.

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Animal Health Information Department
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)
[email protected]