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Flu At The Zoo Tabletop Exercise

Held June 6, 2012 

The University Of Illinois College Of Veterinary Medicine Center for One Health Illinois, The Zoo Animal Health Network, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal Care Emergency Programs were pleased to collaborate on ‘Flu at the Zoo‛! This was a tabletop exercise designed to bring together zoos and aquariums in a tri-state region, with regulators and animal health partners to simulate the outbreak of avian influenza (AI) in zoological facilities. While the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) zoos and USDA have invested time and resources in preparing for AI, the opportunities to evaluate training, preparedness and response is limited. The Flu at the Zoo team brought together staff from zoos in Illinois, Indiana and Missouri for a one-day table top exercise to evaluate AZA institutional capacity to respond to an outbreak of avian influenza within a zoological facility. A goal of this exercise was to enhance communication across all participating agencies and increase facility and community preparedness; not only important for AI but for any infectious disease outbreak involving a zoo.

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Flu At The Zoo - After Action Report

The Flu at the Zoo After Action Report (AAR) analyzes the exercise results, identifies strengths to be maintained and built upon, identifies potential areas for further improvement, and supports development of possible suggested corrective actions. Based on this exercise, Zoos recognize that they have the potential to be critical players in a disease outbreak, and that they need to be prepared for such an emergency. Fortunately, zoo professionals have a good understanding of HPAI epidemiology and the importance of biosecurity. There is opportunity, however, for improving specific, detailed emergency planning, and communication strategies for working with emergency response agencies and the media.
Flu At The Zoo - After Action Report
The Flu at the Zoo After Action Report (AAR) analyzes the exercise results, identifies strengths to be maintained and built upon, identifies potential areas for further improvement, and supports development of possible suggested corrective actions. Based on this exercise, Zoos recognize that they have the potential to be critical players in a disease outbreak, and that they need to be prepared for such an emergency. Fortunately, zoo professionals have a good understanding of HPAI epidemiology and the importance of biosecurity. There is opportunity, however, for improving specific, detailed emergency planning, and communication strategies for working with emergency response agencies and the media.
The Flu at the Zoo After Action Report (AAR) analyzes the exercise results, identifies strengths to be maintained and built upon, identifies potential areas for further improvement, and supports development of possible suggested corrective actions. Based on this exercise, Zoos recognize that they have the potential to be critical players in a disease outbreak, and that they need to be prepared for such an emergency. Fortunately, zoo professionals have a good understanding of HPAI epidemiology and the importance of biosecurity. There is opportunity, however, for improving specific, detailed emergency planning, and communication strategies for working with emergency response agencies and the media.
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Flu At The Zoo Participants

Map produced by the Geographic Information System and Spatial Analysis Lab, University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine

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Flu At The Zoo Newsletter Archive

These newsletters were used to introduce participants to the Planning Team and discuss exercise organization in the months leading up to the Flu At The Zoo exercise.

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Flu At The Zoo - Vol. 1
Flu At The Zoo - Vol. 1

Flu At The Zoo - Vol. 2
Flu At The Zoo - Vol. 2

Flu At The Zoo - Vol. 3
Flu At The Zoo - Vol. 3

Flu At The Zoo - Vol. 4
Flu At The Zoo - Vol. 4

Flu At The Zoo - Vol. 5
Flu At The Zoo - Vol. 5

Flu At The Zoo - Vol. 6
Flu At The Zoo - Vol. 6

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