FDNY Distributes H1N1 Vaccine during the Seventh Annual BIOPOD Drill

Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta explains BIOPOD 2009 in the FDOC with Chief of Department Salvatore Cassano and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kerry Kelly.

At the FDNY, preparation is essential. So the Department held its seventh annual BIOPOD drill from Nov. 5 through 8, during which all first responders were offered the H1N1 influenza vaccine.

The exercise is part of the Department’s ongoing initiative to plan for its response to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive incidents.

“Our reason for BIOPOD is obvious: Our city is only safe if our first responders are safe,” said Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta. “And we want to know that if there is an emergency need to vaccinate our members, we can do so quickly and efficiently.”

To reach all the FDNY’s first responders, there were 10 fixed points of distribution (PODs) and three mobile PODs located throughout the five boroughs, which provided vaccinations from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. for four days.

A firefighter receives the H1N1 vaccine during BIOPOD 2009.

This year, the Department also deployed its Incident Management Team to coordinate the exercise.

“This will not only test our preparedness, but also provide our members with a critical inoculation,” said Dr. Kerry Kelly, the FDNY’s Chief Medical Officer.

She noted that while members are not required to receive the vaccine, she urges all members to take it, to protect their health, as well as their coworkers and families.

The drill is conducted by the FDNY Bureau of Health Services in conjunction with the FDNY Bureau of Operations and is part of the City’s overall emergency response plan that combines the efforts of the Fire Department with other city agencies, including the Police Department, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and Office of Emergency Management.