Ready or not?

The Trust for America's Health recently released a report ranking the states for preparedness to respond to public health emergencies. Arkansas ranked among the bottom six states for a few specific reasons:

• We do not have adequate plans to distribute emergency vaccines, antidotes, and medical supplies from the Strategic National Stockpile;

• We don't use a surveillance system compatible with the CDC's National Electronic Disease Surveillance System; and

• We don't have at least 14 Medical Reserve Corps Volunteers per 100,000 citizens.

The other states in the same boat include Mississippi, Iowa, Wisconsin, Nevada, and Wyoming. Here's the Arkansas Department of Health page on public health preparedness.