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Announcements
1. USO Donations Being Accepted Now
2. USPHS Black BDU T-Shirts Available!
3. ACOA is Selling US Public Health Service Flags!

Articles
1. ACOA Fall Social
2. ACOA Helps Build House with Habitat for Humanity!
3. Hurricane Katrina: Supporting the Point of the Spear
4. Providing Relief to Fellow Officers In Need - As a Result of the Hurricanes
5. Highlights of Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center Recruiting Lunch
6. Call for Self-Nomination: Atlanta Branch Commissioned Officers Association Executive Committee
 

ACOA Fall Social.  Saturday, October 22, 1900-2300, 57th Fighter Group Restaurant in Chamblee (Clairmont Road near Peachtree/Dekalb Airport).  Keynote speaker: CAPT Jerry Farrell (USN, ret.). For more information, please see related article in this newsletter.

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Articles ACOA Fall Social The ACOA is planning for a Fall Social for all Atlanta Area Commissioned Officers to be held on Saturday, October 22, 2005, from 7 – 11 pm at the 57th Fighters Group Restaurant in Chamblee. The restaurant is located off of Clairmont Road near the Peachtree/Dekalb Airport. ACOA has reserved a banquet room and patio for this event, and a local DJ will be featured. In addition, CAPT Jerry Farrell (USN, ret), Executive Director, Commissioned Officers Association will be in attendance as the keynote. A menu has been pre-arranged with the restaurant that includes three main entrée’s, including vegetarian selections. ACOA is planning this event as an occasion for officers, their spouses, and significant others to meet socially, enjoy camaraderie and fellowship, and to foster esprit de corps. It will also provide an opportunity to recognize special activities. Dress for the event is business casual. If you would like to attend, please send a check ($33.00 per person) to the attention of CDR Daniel Cline at: Office of Commissioned Personnel, Office of the Director, 4770 Buford Hwy, Stanford Building, MS K-27, Atlanta, GA 30341-3724. Please make the check payable to ACOA/Fall Social. To secure your reservation for this event, your payment must be received by Tuesday, October 18, 2005. If you have any questions or would like more information about the ACOA Fall Social, please contact CDR Craig Wilkins at (404) 639-7057.

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ACOA Helps Build House with Habitat for Humanity!

On September 10, 2005, 20 Atlanta-based PHS officers participated in building an Atlanta Habitat-for-Humanity house. Each house is built over seven consecutive Saturdays with as many as 35 volunteers. We arrived at 7:50 am on the fifth Saturday of building. Our responsibilities included painting the interior and exterior of the house; installing baseboards, window sills and miscellaneous interior trim; installing kitchen cabinets and countertops; and installing the soffit and fascia. We worked under the supervision of a paid houseleader and no previous experience or building skills were required. Everyone agreed that ACOA should sponsor another community service activity with Atlanta Habitat-for-Humanity, so look for another opportunity to participate in 2006!

For more information about Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, see Habifacts.

Picture: ACOA officers and family members at work on the Habitat House

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Hurricane Katrina: Supporting the Point of the Spear
CDR Bruce C. Tierney, CDC

With the ongoing reports of the potential damage Hurricane Katrina could do if it struck New Orleans, I suspect most officers were wondering if they were going to “get the call” to respond that last weekend of August. As most of you know by now, the word did indeed go out Saturday evening - even before the hurricane had struck - requesting volunteers to be on call for possible deployment. As a result, the “point of the spear” for the response was identified, and 37 PHS Commissioned Corps Officers from all over the U.S., including officers from CDC, were deployed to the gulf region in anticipation of a need for medical support following the hurricane. By Sunday evening, still in advance of the hurricanes landfall, the Secretary of DHHS activated the Commissioned Corps and asked that all officers provide up to date information for possible deployment to support response efforts. On Monday afternoon, August 29th, less than 24 hours after I had updated my roster information as requested, I received word that I was being called upon to join those officers in the response to Hurricane Katrina. I would be part of the group going out in the second wave to support the point of the spear.

Initially, I was advised that I was expected to go to Baton Rouge to assist with standing up a Field Medical Contingency Station (or FMCS) but, beyond that, little information was available. In fact on Monday afternoon, like most people, I had yet to realize just how significant the damage to New Orleans was going to be or how great the need in Baton Rouge would become, as news was slow to come out of the city. Initial reports seemed to suggest that New Orleans had been spared the worst of it and that greater damage had occurred along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The flood waters that were to prove to be so devastating to the city were only just beginning to rise. But the news of what was happening in New Orleans became more available, and it seemed likely that the need for assistance was going to be huge. However, the logistical problems were also clearly challenging, as it was two days before we were finally able to be deployed.

Finally on Wednesday, August 31st, we received word that we would be traveling the following day to Houston by air, and then we would be renting vans for the drive to Baton Rouge. More importantly, we were cautioned that we might find ourselves in an austere environment and to plan accordingly! When we did arrive in Baton Rouge the following evening, that austere environment proved to be the Port Allen Base Camp located just across the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge. It would come to be known affectionately as “tent city” or “Camp Skeeter.” Basically it would eventually consist of more than 15 large tents of the type used for outdoor functions, like a wedding reception, complete with wood flooring, port-a-potties, laundry facilities, CONEX-based shower facilities complete with hot water, and even air conditioning of a sort! It would eventually house more than 200 PHS officers along with fire fighters, DMATs, DoD personnel, and others. All in all, it wasn’t all that austere once it was up and running. But, I am certainly glad it didn’t rain during our entire two week stay! When we initially arrived, only a couple of the tents were set up, and we were one of the first groups to occupy the camp. So the next morning, while the team leadership went to learn more about the current situation in Baton Rouge, many of us pitched in to help get our new home away from home set up and make it as comfortable as possible (Pictures 1-4).

Picture 1: Port Allen Base Camp – “Tent City.”

Picture 2: Port-a-Potty Row – The first white tent was the tent initially occupied by the PHS. Later we would fill three tents.


Picture 3: The interior of our tent at Port Allen Base Camp.

Picture 4: My home away from home – No skeeters were going to get me!

It was not until the following day on Saturday, September 3rd, that we were really able to be integrated into the response. By this time, the Pete Maravich Assembly Center (or the PMAC as it was known) on the LSU campus had already rapidly expanded into a 200-bed critical care field hospital, and the nearby Maddux Fieldhouse had also been converted from a special needs shelter to a field hospital as well. Area medical volunteers from local hospitals and the Louisiana Office of Public Health were staffing the Fieldhouse. Meanwhile, local medical volunteers, a DMAT from New Mexico, the Illinois Medical Emergency Response Team or IMERT (a state based team very similar to a DMAT), and PHS officers were staffing the critical care facility in the PMAC that had been set up by local medical volunteers and our own initial PHS team that had served as the point of the spear. We immediately stepped in to assist where we were needed in a variety of roles including clinical, administrative and of course, epidemiological - a role near and dear to many of us at CDC. Action remained at a high pace, making time move quickly for the next few days as the PMAC and Fieldhouse facilities triaged some 15,000 evacuees and provided care to some 6,000 patients over the 9 days it was open: Note: This is my estimate and not an official total (Pictures 5-7). In addition, PHS officers worked very closely with the State of Louisiana in providing mental health evaluations for both evacuees and responders, assessing damaged hospitals around New Orleans, performing general shelter needs assessments for the hundreds of shelters across the state, as well as developing surveillance for potential outbreaks in these shelters. All of these functions were extremely important to the health of many evacuees, and it proved to be another critical role that the PHS officers on the team were highly capable of providing and probably wouldn’t have occurred as quickly without the dedicated efforts of the Commissioned Officers involved.

Picture 5: The exterior view of the PMAC on the LSU campus.

Picture 6: The PMAC in operation.

Picture 7: Another air evacuation team arrives on the track outside the PMAC.

Finally on Wednesday, September 7th, the initial rush of evacuees had diminished, and it was possible to close the PMAC. But, there were still many evacuees that needed care both in Baton Rouge and across the state. I was asked to assume the role of the Medical Director for the LSU Special Needs Shelter that remained in the Maddux Fieldhouse at LSU, and I remained in that capacity, until I returned from my deployment on Wednesday, September 14th. As a result of the terrific work done by the PHS Commissioned Corps Officers who worked with me in the shelter and worked hand-in-hand with volunteer providers from both the local area and across the nation, whom included the Louisiana Office of Public Health and a superb team of health professionals who constituted a Public Health Response Team from the State of Iowa, we were able to ensure a high standard of health care for the special needs evacuees, until they could be placed into a more appropriate environment for their ongoing medical care (Pictures 8-9).

Picture 8: The Maddox Fieldhouse – Site of the Special Needs Shelter after the PMAC closed.

Picture 9: Inside the Special Needs Shelter in the LSU Maddox Fieldhouse – Registration is in the foreground, and patients were cared for in the curtained area behind registration.

By the time my deployment ended, there were a large number of additional PHS officers that had arrived and were being housed at the Port Allen Base Camp, including many other officers from CDC. But I especially want to thank those officers who made up the point of the spear and those that joined me in the second wave of the deployment to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. There were officers from many different agencies all across the country in both these groups, but in particular I wanted to note my fellow officers from CDC and other agencies in the Atlanta area who were deployed by OFRD to Baton Rouge and were involved in the early days of this response (with my apologies to anyone whom I have overlooked): These officers include CAPT David Sniadack, CDR Bill Greim, CDR Chris Casey, CDR David Kim, LCDR Carma Ayala, and LCDR Doug Hanley from CDC; CDR Terry Porter with PSC; and LCDR Vickie Scott-Lewis with CMH. These officers are located here in Atlanta and deployed with the original group of officers in the point of the spear, and they did such an outstanding job in standing up the PMAC critical care facility. In addition, joining me in the second wave from CDC were CAPT Richard Niska (from NCHS in Hyattsville, Maryland); CDR Francisco Averhoff, LCDR John Iskander; and LCDR Theresa Harrington along with CDR Keysha Ross from PSC here in Atlanta. Together we shared a unique experience that we will not soon forget!

Our thanks are extended to CDR Bruce C. Tierney, CDC for writing this article.

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Providing Relief to Fellow Officers In Need - As a Result of the Hurricanes
A Fundraising Challenge from the Tucson Branch, COA

A few weeks ago in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, COA’s affiliated Foundation announced that it would accept donations to be used for PHS Commissioned Officers stationed in the areas affected by the hurricane who may have suffered serious losses. Thus far, we have identified at least one officer stationed in the New Orleans area whose home and possessions are a total loss. Now, in the wake of Hurricane Rita, we know we have about a half dozen or so officers living in the Galveston area. These officers may need help as well – still too soon to tell.

In response to the Foundation’s initial appeal, the Tucson Branch has raised $650 to assist in providing relief for officers in need as a result of the hurricanes. The Tucson Branch President is challenging all other branches to match their generosity and reach out to help fellow officers and their families in this time of need.

If you are interested in helping ACOA reach the goal of $650.00 in the next 2 weeks, please send your donation to CDR Daniel Cline at K-27. Checks should be made payable to "Atlanta Branch COA" until Friday, October 28, 2005. ACOA will make up the difference, after the deadline has passed.

Our thanks are extended to CAPT (USN, ret.) Jerry Farrell, Executive Director, National COA, for contributing to this article.

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Highlights of Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center Recruiting Lunch

On Monday August 1, 2005, we had a very successful recruiting lunch for federal interns working in the Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center (SNAFC) at 61 Forsyth Street downtown.

Fourteen (14) interns currently working in the SNAFC for various agencies joined nine (9) Commissioned Corps officers to hear about opportunities in the Corps. Commissioned Corps categories represented included Engineering, Scientist, Environmental Health, and Health Services. Agencies represented included the Environmental Protection Agency, Indian Health Service, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Health and Human Services, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The interns were in BS to PhD level programs in a number of fields, including environmental science, public health, engineering, biostatistics, and social sciences. They asked a number of good questions, and all of the officers present gave excellent short presentations on the benefits of a career with the Commissioned Corps. The officers ranged in experience from 2 years with the Corps to almost 30 years. After the meeting I spoke with several interns and several
said they were definitely planning on pursuing a career in the Commissioned Corps.

Our thanks are extended to LCDR Paul Gagliano, PE, EPA Region 4 for writing this article.

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Call for Self-Nomination
Atlanta Branch Commissioned Officers Association Executive Committee

Deadline For Nomination—Monday, November 28, 2005

Recent national events including the PHS Response to the Hurricanes Relief Effort, and PHS Transformation have demonstrated the importance and visibility of the USPHS Commissioned Corps. As PHS commissioned corps officers, we must stay involved, informed, and be vigilant. Being a part of the COA is one means of addressing these professional precepts. Now is a great time to become an active part of the Atlanta Branch COA (ACOA) Executive Committee. Atlanta Branch, nearly 600 members strong and the second largest Branch nationally, has been active in education and communication efforts. We are asking for you to make a leadership contribution to your COA organization so it can be translated into effective plans for enhancing our Corps, our careers, and protecting our nation’s health.

Serving on the 2006 ACOA Executive Committee will provide leadership activities whereby an officer can make professional and personal impacts in the Commissioned Corps. At a minimum, there are opportunities for initiatives including active duty and/or retired pay and entitlements, continuing education, fitness and health, and career development. To do this, your Atlanta Branch needs individuals who are motivated, energetic, and committed to supporting the Corps and the COA. For those officers with interests in civic mini projects, this may be the chance for you to identify and coordinate the planning of a civic project that also facilitates the visibility of the Corps. ACOA By-Laws available for review at on the ACOA website. 

Officers are invited to submit a self-nomination for:
•    Vice President/President-Elect (1 position)
•     Treasurer (1 position)
•     Secretary (1 position)
•     Member-at-Large (6 positions) (e.g., Communications, Special Projects, Professional Development, Community Service)
•     Retired Member-at-Large (1 position)

This is a one-year commitment including required attendance at monthly meetings, etc. Interested officers are encouraged to obtain supervisory support prior to self nomination. Representation from all Atlanta area PHS agencies is encouraged. Please provide a brief description (1 or 2 paragraphs) of your contact information including professional grade (rank), PHS category, agency affiliation; the position for your self-nomination; previous COA positions; future interests in specific volunteer activities; and what basic goals you hope to achieve in 2006. Preferably send an electronic version of self-nomination to CDR Linda West. You also may fax a copy to CDR West at (770) 488-6027 (please label "Attention: CDR Linda West") or send a paper copy to CDR Linda West at K-46 or the following address:

CDR Linda West
4770 Buford Hwy., N.E.
Mail Stop K-46
Atlanta, GA 30341-3717

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