Budget Function Description
Funding for the Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response. The Office is working with other agencies to prepare for the detection and establish a response plan in case of a bioterrorist event (the intentional use of infectious biological agents, or germs, to cause illness) in New York City. The Office has established a comprehensive surveillance system to improve its ability to detect and respond to the release of a biological agent, and is continuously looking for any indication of bioterrorism in the City by regularly working with all healthcare providers to monitor any unusual disease clusters. Additionally, several surveillance systems are in place to quickly detect an increase in unusual illnesses, including monitoring of 911-ambulance calls and emergency department visits. The response plan includes coordinating with OEM and other City, State, and federal agencies; alerting hospitals and the medical care community; communicating with the public; and ensuring that appropriate medical care and prevention services are provided.