response to Hurricane Marilyn was achieved through the cooperative efforts of the Office of the Surgeon General and the OEP. That deployment included physicians, nurses and pharmacists who restored primary care services on St. Thomas; sanitarians, who provided consultation to the Commissioner of Health, USVI, concerning matters of environmental health; epidemiologists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to assist in the control of such major health concerns as Dengue Fever, gastroenteritis and Hepatitis-A; officers to provide counseling to the general population for stress-related syndromes associated with the hurricane; and officers to provide administrative support to OEP's Emergency Operations Center on a 24 hour-a-day basis. Many aspects of emergency preparedness programs involve joint training with the military. As fellow uniformed service members, officers in the Corps are readily accepted and integrated into coordinated programs with the military. An immediate identification and certification of capability is established. In deployments the uniformed services must integrate into a coordinated command. The presence of a clear rank system greatly facilitates command and control. The appointment of a Commissioned Corps Flag Officer as Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness has enabled a smooth interface with an established command system with the Flag and General Officers in the Department of Defense. Since the Public Health Service coordinates the Federal health and medical support at a time of catastrophic disaster, the uniform facilitates joint operations and the use of military services, supplies, facilities and equipment (e.g. procurement of military helicopters and other modes of transportation). As I previously mentioned, the rapid identification of personnel through the Commissioned Corps Readiness Force is a significant advantage during times of disaster, where immediate response is crucial. The availability of Commissioned Corps officers 24 hours a day, without the necessity of providing overtime pay, can be a significant cost savings to the government. Furthermore, the ability to augment the active force with highly qualified members of the inactive reserve has proven to be a significant advantage. CONCLUSION The Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service represents a dynamic organization of health care professionals who are responsive to the country's changing health needs. As we approach the end of the millennium, confronted by significant social and health problems, it is essential that the country be able to rely on the programs and staff of the Commissioned Corps for leadership, innovation and health care service. The unique attributes of the Corps make it a vital and invaluable resource in any public health response to terrorism in the form of nuclear, chemical or biological attacks. |