The Strategic National Stockpile (SNS)
The SNS is a national cache of potentially life-saving pharmaceuticals and medical supplies for use in a public health emergency severe enough to cause local supplies to run out.
See all Frequently Asked Questions about the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS).
Emergency Dispensing Site (EDS) resources
These documents help municipalities establish and operate an EDS, as well as provide liability information to volunteers at an EDS:
This toolkit provides, among other things, the resources and guidance jurisdictions need to create, disseminate, and exercise an EDS plan.
CHEMPACK Program
The CHEMPACK Program pre-positions antidotes to expedite the treatment of individuals exposed to nerve agents. Containers of chemical antidotes placed across the Commonwealth will allow for rapid deployment of chemical antidotes to hospitals and first responders should an industrial accident or a terrorist action occur in Massachusetts or in a bordering state. The placement of the containers takes into account the population and geographical factors challenging the rapid delivery of the antidotes for treatment.
The antidotes are provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of the Strategic National Stockpile (DSNS). The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) Emergency Preparedness Bureau will facilitate any inventory updates, CHEMPACK seminars, trainings and exercises associated with the use of the containers.
CHEMPACK containers may be opened at the discretion of the emergency department physicians at the host hospital and/or assets may be requested by emergency medical services (EMS), Coordinated Medical Emergency Direction (CMED), or other non-host hospitals in the region of the host hospital.
Massachusetts has 40 CHEMPACK containers strategically located throughout the state.
CHEMPACK Web-Based Courses
These 3 online modules will provide training for first responders, public health, public safety, and health professionals who may be involved in responding to a nerve agent incident. Designed by the Harvard School of Public Health Center for Public Health Preparedness (HSPH-CPHP) and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, this training program was conducted as part of the Public Health Emergency Preparedness grant.