About Symposium on emergency preparedness and response
Symposium on emergency preparedness and response
Organized by the Belgian Biosafety Professionals (BBP) and the Dutch Association for Biosafety Officers (BVFp)
Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands
Working with hazardous biological material or providing the necessary support to have people working safely with the hazardous material is our day-to-day job. For that, we are experienced in assessing the risk of contained use activities, to train our coworkers and to watch over a culture of biosafety.
And so far, so good … But what if an unexpected, unplanned and unwanted event occurs? Are we prepared for an emergency involving biological agents? As in the event of an emergency, many different aspects come forward and time likely becomes critical. Therefore, we will need, amongst other, a well-designed action plan with clear priorities, good communication, coordination of a variety of stakeholders and collaboration. Without being prepared it will be very hard to respond effectively.
The Belgian Biosafety Professionals (BBP) and the Dutch Biological Safety Officers Platform (BVFp) are happy to inform you that they will organize a joint symposium on emergency preparedness and response.
By means of a short classroom introduction and multiple hands-on break-out sessions, the participants will obtain insight in how to set up a well-designed emergency plan and how to conduct exercises to evaluate whether an institute is ready to respond rapidly and effectively to an emergency involving biological agents.
The full day symposium allows for in depth coverage of a subject that is key to the responsibilities of all biosafety professionals.
It also is a unique opportunity to meet biosafety experts of neighboring countries and obtain information on recent developments and best practices.
Program:
09h30 Coffee and registration
10h00 Welcome
10h15 Keynote session
by Erwin Duizer (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment)
11h00 Coffee / Sponsor / Networking
11h30 Parallel break-out sessions
Session 1: Emergency in practice, what to do when ...
moderated by Ewout Fanoy (Community Health Services, Rotterdam), Gijsbert van Willigen (Leiden University Medical Center) and Toon De Kesel (Febris Biorisk Consult)
Session 2: Get your team ready for an emergency: a sandbox exercise
moderated by Erik Genbrugge (BTCR vzw), Diane Lahey (BTCR vzw) and Evelien Kampert (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment)
Session 3: Everything you need to know – from concept to implementation (‘noodplan’)
moderated by René Custers (Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie) and Marcel van Bergen (Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen)
Session 4: Communication in times of emergency: 'to tell or not to tell'
moderated by Herman Schreurs and Arnold de Bruin (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment)
12h30 Lunch / Sponsor / Networking
13h30 Parallel break-out sessions
see above
14h30 Coffee / Sponsor / Networking
15h00 Parallel break-out sessions
see above
16h00 Concluding remarks
Want to know more about the break outs?
Session 1: Emergency in practice, what to do when ...
moderated by Ewout Fanoy (Community Health Services, Rotterdam), Gijsbert van Willigen (Leiden University Medical Center) and Toon De Kesel (Febris Biorisk Consult)
Emergencies don't follow rules. However, it is vital to bring the situation back under control as quickly as possible. Being well prepared is only half the work. This session will bring very real examples (e.g. leakage of highly infectious agent into sewer system, injured person in a high biological risk environment, escape of animals from a stable with a high containment level) and together with your moderator you will brainstorm on how to safely stabilise the situation.
Session 2: Get your team ready for an emergency: a sandbox exercise
moderated by Erik Genbrugge (BTCR vzw), Diane Lahey (BTCR vzw) and Evelien Kampert (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment)
In this session participants will be confronted with a 'real life' simulated crisis.
Taking on the role of different stakeholders, they will be challenged to define their necessary steps within the crisis management cycle via a sandbox exercise. The exercise allows for defining everyones role in handling the simulated crisis and for determining whether we are able to define and fulfil our tasks.
Session 3: Everything you need to know – from concept to implementation (‘noodplan’)
moderated by René Custers (Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie) and Marcel van Bergen (Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen)
Session 3 will guide the participants through the set-up of an emergency plan, from concept to implementation ánd training.
Session 4: Communication in times of emergency: 'to tell or not to tell'
moderated by Herman Schreurs and Arnold de Bruin (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment)
Communicating effectively with all stakeholders in case of an emergency will never be easy. The rise of social media adds an extra challenge to that.
This session will help you in deciding what to tell, how to tell it and to whom, all in order to support the effective implementation of protective actions and to minimize fear. Session 4 will provide insights in how to set up a robust communication plan.