The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), Division of Public Health Services (PHS), Bureau of Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) has conducted a series of tabletop exercises focused on pandemic influenza and non-medical countermeasures such as school closure and social distancing. Participants have included school state and local agencies, and school officials. In an effort to prepare the community for a potential resurgence of the novel H1N1 influenza strain, ADHS intends to adapt this exercise and make it available statewide to a broader audience. Additional participants will include parent organizations, employers, business leaders, and other community members interested in pandemic preparedness. These exercises will provide participants with information on community mitigation strategies and create a forum for the coordination of preparedness plans.

This exercise series will facilitate sharing information with community stakeholders (e.g., parents, schools, business leaders, government officials, emergency management) on some of the potential impacts of a serious influenza pandemic and increase awareness of the need to develop plans to support community mitigation strategies.

Arizona State University (ASU) Decision Theater has developed a computer-based pandemic influenza simulation that allows participants to see the impacts to the community based on decisions made during the exercise. ADHS would like Decision Theater to adapt this computer-based exercise to be presented to a broader audience at five locations statewide. The audience will have an opportunity to participate in, discuss, and evaluate decision processes during the exercise. The simulation will adhere to the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program's sequential approach to exercise development and create an environment that will allow participants to see the impact of community mitigation strategies over time.