What is the Strategic National Stockpile?

The Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) is a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) program that has purchased large quantities of medicine and medical supplies that can help the American public in the event of a public health emergency such as a terrorist attack, pandemic flu outbreak or natural disaster.

The SNS stores large quantities medicine and supplies-called Push Packages-in twelve locations throughout the United States and its territories.  Push Packages are identical, and they weigh 50 tons each.

When a public health emergency is extensive enough to deplete all local and regional supplies, federal and state authorities may agree to request the SNS. 

Once federal authorities agree to send the Push Package, medicine and supplies will be delivered within 12 hours. The State Health Department will receive and distribute medicine and medical supplies to local communities as quickly as possible. As the push package materials are being distributed and the agent/disease has been identified, medicine will come directly from pharmaceutical companies that have contracts with the CDC.

Will the SNS help me during an emergency?

Medicine stored in the SNS is free for everyone, and planners at the federal, state and local levels are working together to be sure that the medicines will be delivered to the affected area to protect all who are in need.  The SNS contains enough medicine to begin dispensing to several large cities at a time.

How do I get my medicine if the SNS comes to Montgomery County?

While the SNS is on its way to Montgomery County, the UTMB Montgomery County Health Department and local volunteers will set up Points of Dispensing (PODs) throughout the county. Residents will go to PODs to receive the medication necessary to protect them and their households.

Montgomery County Health Department has identified locations for Points of Dispensing and has assigned certain zip code regions to specific sites. The exact location of PODs will not be released to the public until the time of the event, because officials want to ensure that the POD sites are operational and have medication ready for people when they come to pick it up.

To find out how to get medicine for you and members of your household, monitor news reports on television, radio and the internet. Montgomery County officials will inform the public about what to do to protect themselves and where to report to get medication. In some cases, only one family member will report to a POD site to get medicine for his or her entire household. 

To find out more about the Strategic National Stockpile, check out the Centers for Disease Control web site, http://www.bt.cdc.gov/stockpile/.

If you'd like to help protect your community by working at a Point of Dispensing site, you can sign up at the volunteers section of this web site.