You might have seen recent headlines that included something like, "FEMA to Help with Vaccinations." OK, so what does that mean? Remember, there are not that many Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) staff — 20,000 or so if you count everyone in every employment class, to include disaster reservists.
Here is an article from Reuters that speaks to FEMA's role and other issues I've mentioned as far back as August and September when vaccines appeared to be on the horizon: "Retired doctors and more syringes: Biden lays out plan to get America vaccinated."
Here's the point of employing FEMA and every other emergency management agency in the land: We are in the disaster of our lives. This is not just a public health fight, it is our fight as emergency managers. Stop sitting around waiting to be asked and get in there and pitch in. Do what you are good at: coordination, resource management, logistics, etc. Our mission did not have to end with helping with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and then only because FEMA National was thrown into the fray.
As to other things mentioned in the article. Waaay back when, I highlighted that it was known that there would be a shortage of syringes and vaccine bottles. Now, we read that the National Defense Production Act in the Biden Administration will be used to produce more of these — duh, because they are in short supply?
While vaccinations are done at the state and local levels, the need for a national vaccination strategy is highlighted in just the issue of supplies to do the vaccinations! God almighty! How did we get to this point...where I'm living in Puyallup, Wash., and understood the issue six months ago and it has not been addressed? Explain that to me — really! "Incompetence" is one word that comes to mind immediately.
