It’s Not IF A Disaster Will Happen. It’s WHEN.
To be prepared for any public health crisis, local communities in South Dakota are setting up PODs. Community Points of Dispensing (PODs) are designed to protect the public. They are set up to distribute medical counter measures such as medicine, vaccines, and medical supplies during a public health emergency. When disaster strikes, PODs help to protect local communities.
“Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
Interview with Brad Richardson, MS, MBA, FACHA, and program manager for the Point of Dispensing project in South Dakota.
Can you describe a situation where a community POD would jump into action? In a public health crisis – for example, the recent pandemic. PODs protect communities from growing health challenges, whether it’s influenza, smallpox, covid-19.
How many PODs are in SD? Where do we need more? South Dakota has 32 POD sites spread across the state in 28 different communities. These POD sites are in both urban and rural communities. PODs in South Dakota are geographically dispersed so that a person need not travel farther than 50 miles to gain access to a POD site.
Why is it important to have a POD in a community? A POD is a mass dispensing site in a local community that provides medications or vaccinations to protect the public from biological threats or epidemics. It is important that each community POD has the resources needed to stand up and fully operate that POD site. POD partners consist of community members, community organizations and businesses that all pull together during a healthcare crisis to support their local community.
What do PODs need right now in South Dakota? PODs are volunteer led. Volunteers are always needed to sign up. Any skill set can help. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” We need everybody – greeters, drivers, people to unpack supplies; people with good communication skills, organizational skills, medical expertise and so on.
Is there an economic benefit to having a POD in a local community? Having a POD can greatly reduce the spread of a healthcare threat – and when you contain the spread, you reduce potential economic fallout that a crisis can bring, which can devastate a local economy. So not only is there an economic benefit to having a POD, but you also reduce stress placed upon the local healthcare system. By working together, the healthcare organizations provide support to the POD’s 48-hour mission to disperse medical countermeasures related to the presenting threat. PODs are on the frontlines during a crisis.
Who are the partners on the POD project in SD? The South Dakota Foundation for Medical Care and the South Dakota Department of Health lead the project. POD works with multiple local, state and Federal partners to coordinate, plan, and operate during a healthcare emergency. The POD cannot be successful without the support of these organizations and dedicated professionals.
Final thoughts? There’s an old saying, “Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day.” SD PODs need more volunteers. We have the opportunity to step up and protect our neighbors and fellow South Dakotans by stepping forward as a POD volunteer. Even helping in a small way makes a big difference! Volunteering within a POD is easy: visit https://volunteers.sd.gov/.
By: Charlotte Hofer