CONTACT: DEBRA VENZKE
UI COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH
5203 Westlawn
(319) 335-9647
e-mail: debra-venzke@uiowa.edu
Release: April 26, 2002
UI training program focuses on Iowa's public health preparedness
(Participant name) of (hometown) is one of 68 participants enrolled in a new training program designed to build knowledge in public health science, emergency response systems and community leadership. The program is offered by the Iowa Center for Public Health Preparedness (ICPHP), based in the University of Iowa College of Public Health.
A cross-section of public health professionals from around Iowa is taking part in the eight-month "train-the-trainer" program. After successfully completing the program, students will receive a certificate and assist with continuing training efforts in their own communities. The participants include first responders, environmental health specialists, emergency management personnel, public health nurses, physicians, pharmacists, public health administrators, disease prevention specialists, extension service personnel, laboratory personnel, veterinarians and hospital personnel.
"Iowa relies on both professional and voluntary health care providers to respond to public health needs," said ICPHP director Christopher Atchison, UI College of Public Health associate dean for public health practice and associate professor of health management and policy. "This interdisciplinary training program will provide Iowa's public health workforce with up-to-date preparedness information and procedures, which the trainees will then share with their colleagues at the local level."
The program participants met for the first time on the UI campus April 8 and 9 to attend a conference on public health preparedness and participate in an orientation exercise. Over the next several months, additional training sessions will be conducted via the Iowa Communications Network. Topics to be covered include public health science; human, animal and environmental health; the state emergency response system; community leadership in a crisis; and continuing training at the community level. The group will meet again in Des Moines in November to take part in a tabletop simulation and graduation event.
The Iowa Center for Public Health Preparedness was established in May 2001 by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Bioterrorism Preparedness Initiative through a cooperative agreement with the Association of Schools of Public Health. One of 15 Centers for Public Health Preparedness located throughout the United States, the ICPHP places special emphasis on partnerships with agricultural and emergency management units. The center's mission is to ensure that Iowa's public health workforce has the skills to prepare for, promptly identify and respond to current and emerging health threats.
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EDITORS: Program participants are listed below alphabetically by hometown.
CITY NAME TITLE AND ORGANIZATION Allison Jennifer Becker Assistant Director, Butler County Public Health Department Ames Larry Herbold Veterinarian, Retired Ames Scott Hurd Analytical Epidemiologist, National Animal Disease Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service Ames John Kluge Veterinarian Ames Eileen M. Tramp Ames High School Nurse, Ames Community Schools Ames Ron D. White Veterinarian Anamosa Carl Chalstrom Pharmacist, Pharmacy Care Centre Cedar Falls James R. Kenyon Veterinarian, Cedar Valley Veterinary Cedar Falls Joyce Hansel School Nurse, Aplington Community School Cedar Rapids Tom Hart Environmental Health Supervisor, Linn County Public Health Department Cedar Rapids Dawn Ramm Trauma Coordinator, St. Luke's Hospital Charles City Pat McDonnell Chairperson, Board of Health, Fort Dodge Animal Health
Cherokee
Aimee Barritt Environmental Health, Cherokee County Health Department
Clinton
Denise Schrader Director, Visiting Nurses Association, Clinton County
Columbus Junction
Tom Colthurst Coordinator, Louisa County Emergency Management Agency
Coralville
Sandra Reed Coordinator, Midwest Regional Pediatric Environmental Health Center, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
Council Bluffs
Terry Lindsley Planner, Pottawattamie County Emergency Management Agency
Council Bluffs
Bill Wall Laboratory Manager, St. Luke's Hospital
Cumming
Laura Griffith Physician
Davenport
Paul Andorf MEDIC Emergency Medical Services
Davenport
Russell Smith Pharmacist
Decorah
Nancy Sacquitne Assistant Administrator, Winneshiek County Public Health Nursing
Des Moines
Carolyn Beverly Director, Polk County Health Department
Des Moines
Mary Jones Director, Iowa Department of Public Health Office of Medical and Public Health Disaster Preparedness
Des Moines
Mary McCann Laboratory Supervisor, Polk County Health Department
Dubuque
Mary Rose Corrigan Public Health Specialist, City of Dubuque Health Services
Dubuque
Michael J. White Veterinarian Elma Christian Oelberg
Veterinarian, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Forest City Gayle Jaben Pharmacist Manager, Pamida Pharmacy #375 Glenwood Sheri Bowen Environmental Health, Mills County Grinnell Sheryl Rutledge Health Education Specialist, Grinnell Regional Medical Center Guthrie Center Regina Lloyd County Extension Director, Iowa State University Extension Independence Rick Wulfekuhle Coordinator, Buchanan County Emergency Management Agency Iowa City William Baker Adjunct Instructor, University of Iowa College of Pharmacy Iowa City Eric Briesemeister Safety Manager, University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Iowa City Sue Faith Assistant Coordinator, Johnson County Emergency Management Iowa City Kot Flora Public Health Administration, Johnson County Department of Public Health Iowa City Tom Hansen Emergency Management Coordinator, Johnson County Emergency Management Iowa City George Hebl Safety Program Analyst, VA Medical Center Iowa City Pam Kostle Chemist, University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory Iowa City Jim Ross Lab Extension Specialist I, University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory Iowa City Jan Temple Field Specialist III, Iowa State University Extension Iowa City Stacey D. Thompson Environmental Health Coordinator, Johnson County Department of Public Health
Le Mars
Leslie Hemmingsen Veterinarian Maquoketa
Dan Olson
Environmental Health, Jackson County Health Department Marshalltown
Dennis Bachman
Paramedic/First Response Trainer, Marshalltown Medical & Surgical Center Marshalltown
Deanna Neldberg
Coordinator, Marshall County Emergency Management Agency
Mason City
Ron Osterholm Health Director, Cerro Gordo County Health Department
*Missouri Valley
Margaret (Peg) Brekel Pharmacist, Hy-Vee Pharmacy Muscatine
Donald Fick
Veterinarian Muscatine Jeannine Gothard
Director, Unity Health Care Oakdale Harbans Deol
Medical Director, Department of Corrections - Iowa Medical & Classification Center Oelwein
Betty Haar
Supervisor, Health Information Management, Covenant Health System/Mercy Oelwein Orange City
Christine Mondak
Field Specialist II, Iowa State University Extension Peosta Rudy Pruszko
Senior Project Manager, Iowa State University Extension Pocahontas
Tim McKiernan
Emergency Management Coordinator, Pocahontas County Emergency Management Agency Primghar Tracy Lenz
Lab Tech, Infection Control, Employee Health, Baum Harmon Mercy Hospital Sioux City Thomas Benzoni Physician, Mercy Medical Center *Sioux City Margaret (Peg) Brekel Pharmacist, Hy-Vee Pharmacy Sioux City Dan Weakley Laboratory, Siouxland District Health Department Spencer Tom Johnson Veterinarian Toledo Dennis Mallory Physician, Tama County Board of Health, Tama County Medical Examiner, Deer Creek Family Care Toledo Debra Qahtani Public Health Administrator Tama County Public Health & Home Care Toledo
Lee Wiges
Environmental Health, Tama County Health Services Urbandale Margaret VanGinkel
Extension Program Specialist IV, Alegent Mercy Hospital Vinton Tom Boeckmann
Investigator, Iowa Department of Public Health, EMS Bureau Webster City
Jackie Butler
Public Health Nurse Administrator, Hamilton County Public Health Services West Des Moines Linda Goeldner
Association Executive, Iowa Nurses Association
Woodward Christy Anderson Pharmacist, Medicap
* Note: This participant wishes to be listed with both Sioux City and Missouri Valley