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  • Jessica Waldrop sits in her vehicle and receives a flu vaccination shot from Saundra Whatley, with the Cullman County Health Department, Friday at the drive-thru flu vaccination clinic. The Cullman EMA used the clinic as a chance to test mass distribution tactics. Trent Moore

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October 24, 2008

Curb side service

EMA uses drive-thru flu clinic to test emergency methods

By Trent Moore

Staff Writer

It was all about curbside service Friday, when the Cullman County Health Department and Cullman Emergency Management Agency (EMA) hosted a drive-thru flu vaccine clinic at Northbrook Baptist Church.

Even though it was a rainy day, Cullman EMA Director Phyllis Little said turnout was exceptional for the event.

“At 1 p.m. we had used over 1,000 syringes,” she said. “We’ve also run out of some of the forms and had to go get more copies.”

By the end of the day, Little estimated that as many as 1,500 people had been vaccinated for the flu.

“It’s been very successful,” she said. “We’ve had a great turnout.”

The clinic also gave the local EMA the opportunity to practice certain mass distribution tactics, in case of a pandemic.

“We’re working with the health department on point of distribution sites for mass vaccinations across the county,” Little said.

One of the tactics for mass distribution is the drive-thru concept.

“This gave us a good chance to actually practice using a site,” Little said. “We need to be ready in a place for a large number of people other than a clinic or hospital. It’s an exercise for us.”

For a first try, Little said the experiment was a great success.

“It went really well,” she said. “It was really effective.”

With heavy traffic, the average wait time for a vaccination hovered slightly below 20 minutes, Little said.

“In and out, that isn’t too bad,” she said.

Some vehicles came through with up to four or five people needing shots, though Little said the staff was more than prepared.

“We just had two nurses — one on each side — working their way down,” she said.

The only logistical problem that occurred was some backed up traffic on Alabama Highway 157, with so much traffic coming in and out of the parking lot.

“Early on, traffic was somewhat backed up,” Cullman County Sheriff Tyler Roden said. “But overall this event has operated without any problems.”

Roden attributed the clinic’s success to solid planning by the Cullman EMA and Cullman County Health Department.

“The plan they put together worked out nicely,” he said.



‰ Trent Moore can be reached by e-mail at trentm@cullmantimes.com, or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 225.

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