By Justin O'Brien
November 4, 2002

The city of Chicago will be one of two cities to take part in Full-Scale Weapons of Mass Destruction exercises in May of 2003 according to the U.S. Department of Justice. A Congressionally-mandated exercise "TOPOFF2", will focus on Chicago with a simulated WMD attack on the city. The exercise is intended to test response, mitigation and recovery efforts by local, state and federal officials. Regional and state officials are expected to play a key role, as they would in the case of a real emergency event. Previous TOPOFF exercises have simulated bioterrorism, the release of toxic agents, and the detonation of radiological devices. TOPOFF2 will be the first Full-Scale simulation to take place in Chicago and will be paid for by the U.S. Department of Hospitals Cited for Leadership

Hospitals Cited for Leadership

Six Chicago hospitals are tapped to play key roles in safeguarding city residents from bioterror attacks, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) and other city officials announced earlier this month on October 3rd. Two of the hospitals; Rush-Presbyterian Lukes Medical Center and the John H. Stroger Hospital were named bioterrorism preparedness Centers of Excellence and will received federal bioterror preparedness funds to the tune of $270,000 each. The four other hospitals — Northwestern Memorial, University of Illinois Medical Center, Mt. Sinai and the University of Chicago will have critical supporting roles as hospital Leadership Centers and will receive $70,000 each in federal funding.

The funding will be used to increase hospital capabilities in preparedness planning, disease detection, surveillance, infection control, communications, education and training. "These new resources should ... bring an unprecedented level of public health protection to Chicago", said CDPH Commissioner John Wilhelm. The six hospitals will receive funding from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) having demonstrated several capabilities including:

• Planning and ability to handle surges of patients
• Ample infectious disease and infection control programs
• Strong emergency departments
• Effective training
• Mental health capabilities, and
• A previously established working relationship with the CDPH

All acute care hospitals in the city of Chicago will receive $5000 in HRSA funds to enhance training and communications preparedness.