Statewide Test Held For Pandemic Flu Outbreak

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(INDIANAPOLIS) - Officials are generally pleased with Tuesday’s statewide pandemic influenza tabletop exercise.

It's purpose is to evaluate plans and identify any issues that need to be addressed in preparing for such a disaster. Participants gathered at eleven Indiana National Guard facilities across the state using video-teleconferencing technology to communicate.

Indiana homeland security executive director Eric Dietz says the open discussion can play a valuable role in developing and enhancing working relationships among agencies and individuals that will need to work together as a team during an actual response.

Indiana Homeland Security spokesman Andy Zirkle says the thing about pandemic influenza is that no one can predict when it might occur or how severe it might be. Zirkle says officials will receive an "after-action report" which will cover issues and concerns that surfaced during the exercise.

A similar exercise will be held in Bedford in November at Dunn Memorial Hospital.

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