SOUTHWICK – During the Select Board meeting on Monday night, Health Director Tom FitzGerald presented an idea to the board.
Health Director Tom FitzGerald proposed a point of distribution plan to the Select Board. (WNG File Photo)
FitzGerald presented his POD (Point of Distribution) plan to the board and to those in attendance. The POD has to do with dealing with national emergencies. FitzGerald used the Anthrax scare in 2005 as a prime example for something that his plan would be based on. But, the health director certainly hopes that the POD plan won’t ever have to be used.
When a major emergency occurs throughout the country, there tends to be public distribution centers throughout communities. As Massachusetts has distribution centers for every town or city, a majority of states go by county rather than town or city.
If an immediate threat to every town or city in the country were to occur, like an anthrax scare, FitzGerald pointed out that people will need an organized way to get their medicine or prescription drugs.
“We need a way to get these drugs out fast,” said FitzGerald.
In order to do that, FitzGerald believes that there needs to be private distribution centers throughout the town of Southwick. The public distribution center for a serious emergency is at the Powder Mill School.
As an example, FitzGerald proposed that town of Southwick employees could have their own private distribution center at the town hall. He would also encourage any businesses to have their own distribution center as well.
FitzGerald clearly sees a value in having private points of distribution besides the public center.
“We want as many as possible,” said FitzGerald. “We do that enough times, it reduces the public flow.”
If private distribution centers did end up being put into place, paperwork would have to be filled out to complete the proposal. The town hall or place of business would then have to assign a person in charge, a second person in charge, as well as list of all family members or employees that would need any medicine during the time of emergency.
FitzGerald believes that having the private distribution centers would become a strong partnership with the public location at the Powder Mill School, reducing any traffic during an already chaotic time.
The Select Board announced that they will look to make a decision on FitzGerald’s plan at the next meeting.
For further information on the point of distribution plan, FitzGerald can be contacted at 413-569-1212.
