San Francisco Fleet Week is an annual celebration of the Bay Area naval tradition, honoring men and women serving in our armed forces while also facilitating disaster preparedness. This year, three members of Navy Environmental and Preventive Medicine Unit Five (NEPMU-5), presented at the Fleet Week Peer-to-Peer Medical Exchange (MedEx).
MedEx brings together the San Francisco Bay Area’s medical and first responder community with the United States Navy medical services and private sector partners in various exercises to execute patient treatment in a large-scale, austere, disaster setting. It serves as a critical testing environment for operational information sharing, coordination of resource movement, tactical allocation of military and civilian medical assets, and best practices.
The NEPMU-5 team members presented on the capabilities of Forward Deployable Preventive Medicine Units (FDPMUs); Epidemiological Analysis, Preventative Medicine and Public Health Service Support Planning, Vector Borne Disease Control, Field Sanitation Protocols, Potable Water Analysis and Food Safety Consultation in support of the exercise.
“NEPMU-5 is focused on promoting force health protection and readiness in our military and beneficiary population,” said Cmdr. Gary Brice, threat assessment department head and microbiologist, NEPMU-5. “Strong relationships with our civilian partners are critical to providing public health services for our service members and their families.”
“This collaboration among military and civilian first responders and public health experts was a great event,” said Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Vo, operations department head, NEPMU-5. “We were able to teach, learn from, and interact with one another, enhancing our understanding of each other's capabilities in the event of a natural disaster and the infectious diseases that could occur as a result.”
San Francisco Fleet Week began in 1981 to educate civilians and military personnel about best practices in humanitarian assistance. This year’s celebration included an air show featuring the Blue Angels, ship tours, live music, a parade of ships and the MedEx.
“It was an honor being invited to participate with RDML Weber alongside esteemed academic colleagues and dedicated public servants,” said Lt. Cmdr. Michael Zundel, vector surveillance and control department head and biochemist, NEPMU-5. “Our efforts to showcase the extensive capabilities of Navy preventive medicine assets were received with admiration and gratitude. A huge thank you to the leadership team at Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center for allowing us to participate in this historic event.”
The MedEx concluded with a panel discussion on International and Domestic Public Health Considerations in the Wake of a Disaster.
“I am proud of NEPMU-5’s contributions to this important event,” said Capt. Peter Obenauer, officer in charge, NEPMU-5. “A coordinated, collaborative approach with our civilian partners to emergency management and disaster response is critical to maintaining the health and safety of our citizens. We look forward to continuing these partnerships in the future.”
For more news from Navy Environmental and Preventive Medicine Unit FIVE, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/nepmu5 or follow NEPMU-5 on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nepmu5.
For more news from Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/nmcphc/.
| Date Taken: | 10.22.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 10.22.2019 07:57 |
| Story ID: | 348571 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO , CA, US |
| Web Views: | 134 |
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