AAP Strategic Action Plan for Disaster Preparedness
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Board of Directors identified "disaster preparedness" as one of several strategic health priorities beginning in 2006 and established a Disaster Preparedness Advisory Council (DPAC) in May 2007. (For more information, see About Us.) The DPAC held strategic planning meetings in 2007 and 2008 and developed a 3 to 5 year strategic plan for AAP disaster preparedness initiatives as well as a chart to track objectives and progress. View the AAP Strategic Action Plan for Disaster Preparedness.

Activities
The AAP is involved in the following activities related to pediatric disaster readiness:

1.	Contact Network: The AAP has established a Disaster Preparedness Contact Network. For more information, see Contact Network.
2.	Literature Review: The AAP is compiling articles and reports that summarize research findings related to pediatric disaster preparedness. For more information, see Research Findings.
3.	Information for Pediatric Office Practices: Staff has compiled tools and resources to support pediatric practices to develop emergency/disaster preparedness and response strategies within the AAP Practice Management Online system as part of a new section titled Emergency/Disaster Preparedness and Response.
4.	Needs Assessment of Licensed Child Care Centers, Preparedness for Pandemic Influenza: In partnership with the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP) and the Social Science Research Center at Mississippi State University (MSU), the AAP began conducting a 35-question telephone survey of licensed child care center directors in June 2008. Applications were submitted to and approved by the Institutional Review Boards at the AAP, NMCP, and MSU. The focus of this project is to compile baseline information on the extent to which licensed child care centers are prepared for a pandemic influenza and to develop resources or tools to support improved preparedness. The study was completed in September 2008. About 1,500 center directors from licensed child care centers in all states completed the survey. Results are being analyzed and a summary of conclusions will be made available in 2009. This project is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
5.	Support for Newborn Screening During Emergencies Project: The Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act of 2007 calls for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to work with relevant partner organizations to develop a national contingency plan to maintain newborn screening systems during public health emergencies. With support from the CDC, the AAP participated in a meeting of key stakeholders in 2008 where components of this plan were discussed. Future plans include communicating findings and suggested action steps to AAP members to maintain newborn screening practices during emergency or disaster situations and to integrate critical newborn screening strategies into disaster preparedness planning at all levels.
6.	State AAP Chapter Efforts: Information on disaster preparedness initiatives in AAP Chapters is being compiled. For more information, see State Initiatives.
7.	Regional Partner Efforts: The AAP DPAC is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to identify AAP representatives who can partner with the FEMA Regional Administrators to promote pediatric disaster preparedness.

Advocacy and Policy
The American Academy of Pediatrics is deeply involved in efforts to ensure that children's needs are recognized and incorporated into disaster preparedness, rescue/response, recovery, and mitigation efforts at all levels of government. See the Advocacy and Policy page for information on AAP testimony, correspondence, policies, and the Partnership for Children's Disaster Preparedness.

Appointments

Michael Anderson, MD, FAAP
National Commission on Children and Disasters

Steven E. Krug, MD, FAAP
AAP Liaison to the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma

Andrew Pavia, MD, FAAP
National Biodefense Science Board

Irwin Redlener, MD, FAAP
National Commission on Children and Disasters

Lou Romig, MD, FAAP, FACEP
AAP Liaison to the National Disaster Life Support Education Consortium

David J. Schonfeld, MD, FAAP
National Biodefense Science Board, Disaster Mental Health Workgroup National Commission on Children and Disasters

Erica Pan, MD, MPH, FAAP
National Biosurveillance Advisory Subcommittee
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The CDC Coordinating Office on Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response established a Science Advisory Board, and the AAP has provided a list of pediatric experts who can advise or assist on this or other pediatric issues as they arise.

Comments
The AAP has provided comments or recommendations pertaining to the following:

AAP Policy Statements - The DPAC supported the development of and offered input on the following AAP policy statements produced by the AAP Council on School Health, published in the November 2008 issue of Pediatrics:

	Disaster Planning for Schools
	Medical Emergencies Occurring at School

CDC National Biosurveillance Strategy - The CDC plans to use input from the public and national organizations to develop a strategic plan and a preliminary operational plan that aim to improve the speed with which health professionals can detect and respond to acute health events and save lives.

Federal Emergency Management Agency National Advisory Committee - Discussion of potential changes to the Stafford Act. Materials were provided, encouraging non-loan aid for health care providers in private practice (particularly pediatricians) in the wake of a disaster.

The Unique Needs of Children in Emergencies, a publication of Save the Children.

National Response Framework and several of its annexes.

Research Priorities in Emergency Preparedness and Response for Public Health Systems, an Institute of Medicine Letter Report.

Educational Presentations
Deborah A. Mulligan, MD, FAAP, FACEP, presented educational sessions at the 6th Annual Conference on Health, Disability and The Law June 20-21, 2008 and the Kentucky Osteopathic Medical Association Annual Conference June 26-29, 2008.

Scott Needle, MD, FAAP, participated on a panel discussion on children and disasters at the Federal Emergency Management Agency Individual Assistance Division - Emergency Support Function "Building Partnerships for Progress" conference on June 5, 2008.

Mark X. Cicero, MD, FAAP; Carl R. Baum, MD, FAAP; and David J. Schonfeld, MD, FAAP presented a workshop, "Small Victims, Big Challenges: Pediatric Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery", at the Pediatric Academic Societies and Asian Society for Pediatric Research Joint Meeting on May 5, 2008.

Publications

Disaster Preparedness and Pediatrics: What’s Next and The Youngest Victims: Disaster Preparedness to Meet Children’s Needs, by Gary Q Peck, MD, FAAP (Pediatrics in Review: November 2008)

Private Practice After Hurricane Katrina: Proposal for Recovery, by Scott Needle, MD, FAAP (Pediatrics: October 2008).

Pandemic Influenza: Warning, Children At-Risk, an issue brief by the Trust for America's Health and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Picking up the Pieces: What to do in the Occurrence of Life’s Disasters, by Gary Q Peck, MD, FAAP (peds Journal: Spring 2008)

A Disaster Preparedness Plan for Pediatricians, a resource document with action steps and guidance to help pediatricians prepare their office practice for a disaster. (AAP)

The Youngest Victims: Disaster Preparedness to Meet Children's Needs publication is being revised.

Representation at Meetings
These members were appointed to represent the Academy at relevant meetings/conferences:

Steven E. Krug, MD, FAAP and Michael Shannon, MD, MPH, FAAP - National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Biodefense Advisory Group meeting Sept 8-9, 2008

Sarita Chung, MD, FAAP - Pediatric Reunification Consensus Meeting June 23-25, 2008

Gary Q. Peck, MD, FAAP - Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs Expert Panel Roundtable, "Emergency Preparedness & Maternal and Child Health Populations: Where Are We Now, Where Are We Going?" on May 29, 2008. (The AAP co-sponsored this meeting.)

Regina Milteer, MD, FAAP - Pandemic Influenza Simulation for Health Care Professionals in Virginia (coordinated by America's Health Insurance Plans and the CDC) Jan 10-11, 2008.

Patricia Peairs, MD, FAAP - National Association for Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies conference to discuss a public engagement campaign regarding disaster preparedness and the child care community Nov 17-18, 2007

Peter Mourani, MD, FAAP - DHHS Blue Ribbon Panel on Pandemic Flu Ventilators on Nov 11, 2007

Deborah Mulligan, MD, FAAP - The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act Stakeholders meeting on Nov 8, 2007

Regina Milteer, MD, FAAP - The Primary Care Organizations Consortium meeting on Pandemic Influenza on Oct 18, 2007

Peggy Stemmler, MD, MBA, FAAP - Arizona Short-Term Recovery Tabletop Exercise on Oct 19, 2007

Doug Stetson, MD, FAAP - Health Sector Coordinating Council (HSCC) and the Joint HSCC/Government Coordinating Council meeting Sept 18-19, 2007

Henry (Hank) Bernstein, MD, FAAP - Series of conference calls convened by the CDC to discuss HealthCare Professionals Preparedness for Pandemic Influenza.

For more information, e-mail DisasterReady@aap.org or call 847-434-7132.

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