As the U.S. Government prepares for the possibility of a pandemic influenza outbreak, the nation's emergency services and citizens should also be planning for the worst. Unlike an epidemic, in which a rapidly spreading contagious disease affects many people in a community or region, a pandemic is a global outbreak of a contagious disease. An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which people have little or no immunity and no developed vaccine. Since the disease is easily spread from person to person, it can sweep across a country and even the world in a very short time.

Recognizing the potentially tragic impact an influenza pandemic could have on our nation's fire and emergency service responders, Fire Corps, its partners, and members of its National Advisory Committee have worked hard to generate awareness not just among fire and emergency service personnel, but also among the thousands of Fire Corps volunteers that support them every day. In doing so, Fire Corps has launched this Pandemic Influenza Resource Center in order to provide links to key information resources such as pandemicflu.gov, as well as information on how Fire Corps volunteers can help.

• Pandemic Influenza FAQs
• Fire Corps Pandemic Influenza Plan
• Flu.gov
• Seasonal and Pandemic Flu Guidelines
• Message from USFA Acting Assistant Administrator Regarding the H1N1 Flu (April 2009)
• CDC: Prevention Strategies for Seasonal Influenza in Healthcare Settings
• CDC: H1N1 Virus (Swine Flu) - archived
• Interim Guidance for EMS Systems and 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) for Management of Patients with Confirmed or Suspected Swine-Origin Influenza A (H1N1) Infection - archived
• National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza
• Department of Health and Human Services Pandemic Influenza Plan
• USFA: Pandemic Flu Planning Resources
• CDC: Managing Calls and Call Centers during a Large-Scale Influenza Outbreak: Implementation Tool
• Emergency Medical Services and Non-Emergent (Medical) Transport Organizations Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist
• EMS.gov: Look for pandemic influenza-specific information under News/Pandemic News
• Pandemic Influenza Planning Guidance for Medical Reserve Corps Units
• Hot Topic: Pandemic Influenza
• Ready.gov: Influenza Pandemic
• IAFC: Avian Flu Preparation and Response