Point Of Distribution Information
Have you heard about the POD program? It’s called the Point of Distribution by FEMA and organized by our local health departments. I wrote this post a few years ago so people would know about the program being offered in every city across the US.
I live in Southern Utah, and the county I live in had a meeting a few years ago to discuss the point of distribution in our area. It’s also called a POD.
The meeting was put together to train about 100 people in our area/neighborhood that covers all the people in our geographic area, not just the estimated 2,500 people who may be members of the local church facility being used as the POD location.
The Washington County (Utah) Health Department asked for people in our neighborhoods that would understand and be qualified to help after a major disaster.
They started with people who are knowledgeable about preparedness and asked different churches to set up training for the people in the different locations.
They will have limited PODS because they can only manage and distribute prescriptions or supplies to so many areas after a major disaster. It is our understanding that FEMA plans to ultimately locate and train people all over the country to be used in local PODS like the one here where I live.
If you are interested in finding your local health department point of distribution, you will want to Google: Health Department Point of Distribution. The problem is you may have to make a phone call to your health department to inquire about them because in most cases it is NOT on the internet.
Point of Distribution For Shots and Prescriptions
They also asked for dentists, doctors, nurses, EMTs intermediate and above, paramedics, and anyone else who is qualified to give injections based on training and/or license.
I want you to picture in your mind what we did that night. The 100 people who came, including my husband and myself, were trained in the procedures following a disaster.
We were shown picture slides as part of a PowerPoint demonstration to show us what will be required by all of us after a disaster. They had tables and chairs set up all over the large church gymnasium.
They provided orange vests to show what we will wear as we direct our community members when and if needed.
No Sickness or Children Allowed
We will have greeters at the doors to make sure no one is sick and no children will be allowed in the building or POD. Children may spread germs and no one that is sick will be allowed inside the POD. If someone who is sick comes to the POD they will be directed to go see their doctor or local Instacare-type facility.
Here’s the deal with a POD or point of distribution. These PODs will be set up by FEMA and your local health department after a disaster, earthquake, pandemic or whatever major situation our neighborhoods may have.
We will have a certain number of people from each neighborhood come to the center to get the needed prescriptions or emergency supplies.
For instance, they gave a short example that if Las Vegas, Nevada was sabotaged by a terrorist group by maybe setting canisters all over the city and then they started letting the Anthrax disperse.
The people affected would have only 36 hours to get the needed prescription to save their lives. We will dispense those needed drugs, yes, you heard that right. This is why they are setting up PODS wherever possible.
Now, this is not an easy thing to do. Lawyers from the different churches and our county/state people had to agree on the required legal documents to facilitate this to happen since the FEMA and county health department personnel will be in charge of the church facility that’s being provided for the benefit of the public at large.
PODS-Point of Distribution
These PODS are designed for three types of events:
- Natural disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes, flooding, etc.
- Biological agents-terrorism incidents
- Disease outbreaks
The PODS will be open to everyone no matter what faith they believe in or where they may live. All the facilities will open and close at the exact same time each day. The reason for this is quite simple, they do not want everyone running (driving) to the facility that happens to open first.
The news media or social media will let everyone know (if we have electricity or they will use Ham radios) where these PODS are located and when they will be open.
Greeters
These people will be hand-picked from the 100 volunteers above. These people must be calm and attentive, but not too talkative since it’s important to process as many people as possible in as short a time as can be accommodated. We can’t have a “chatty patty” greeting people at the door. We need to keep the lines moving.
Triage and Registration Area
- Handout forms for attendees to fill out and sign
- Ask questions about health and family considerations
- Direct people to the next station area where the forms are double checked
- Keep sick people out of the POD, no kids allowed, direct sick people to go see their physician or InstaCare
- Special needs and counseling areas may be available
- Handout information about the prescriptions-no limit on prescriptions you can pick up, but you must list who will be given the meds
- Review the medications with the people
- Direct to exit the area after medications are dispensed
Security People Will Be At The Doors
Obviously, people are going to be anxious to get the medications that they need and may lose patience. We will look for strong burly type people to man the doors. Plus they must keep control of the situation at hand.
Yep-It’s All FREE
FREE as in our tax dollars are covering the expenses.
No Insurance-No Medicare-No Medicaid is necessary.
No insurance cards whatsoever will be needed or required. This is all FREE via our government tax dollars. No expense will be incurred.
CDC states we need 63 people to run a POD. We need to be able to “push” 150 people through the process to get the medications within one hour from start to finish.
We can only set up a POD if we know what the disease is for sure, then we will know what antibiotics we will dispense. The county is constantly monitoring the diseases in our area.
Additional medications can be shipped to us within 12 hours and as long as the roads are open. We will dispense vaccinations and medications as needed and required per the disease.
Anthrax Tidbit
Once exposed to Anthrax you have 36 hours to get the medication to save your life. Time is of the essence, we will hand out Cipro and Doxy. Cipro is not for children, pregnant women or breastfeeding moms. These are the two drugs we need if exposed to Anthrax.
Final Word
Please check your city, county, and state to see where your local health department and FEMA will have you go in case of emergency, disaster, or disease outbreak. Please check places for your POD or Point of Distribution placement before the need arises so you know where to go, and hopefully, the roads will be open. Hopefully, you will never have to use it. May God bless this world, Linda
Please note that there are two types of PODs. In a disaster, the STATE NOT FEMA, open Points of Distribution to distribute bottled water and if necessary, Shelf Stable Meals? similar to military MREs. These are Drive through locations typically in large parking lots. The POD concept was developed originally in 1991 for the New Madrid Catatonic Earthquake planning project by the American Red Cross Logistics and Mass Care planning team. In 2003, the POD concept was redeveloped by the State of Florida Logistics Section by the original developer of PODs, for Hurricane commodity support. This was ADOPTED by FEMA and the US Army Corps of Engineer’s and released based on the Florida model as a national “Best Practice” and took it to a National program.
In a HEALTH EMERGENCY, State and County Heath Departments will establish Points of Dispensing to conduct medical intake and issue medications as required under the HHS Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) program. These are walk up locations at large buildings or fair grounds.
Credit is not properly given where it belongs, to the State, and local levels who developed these programs.
Hi Charles, I only know what they taught us at the training centers. Thanks for your comment, Linda