HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 01-04-1993 - VIII-D 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Action Agenda
Item No VI_D
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: January 4, 1993
SUBJECT: Hepatitis B Shots for Volunteer Fire Departments
DEPARTMENT Emergency Management PUBLIC HEARING YES NO X
ATTACHMENT(S) INFORMATION CONTACT
None Nick Waters, ext 3030
TELEPHONE NUMBER
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Mebane 227-2031
Durham 688-7331
PURPOSE: To consider a request for funding and administering Hepatitis
B series shots to Orange County volunteer fire fighters.
BACKGROUND: The federal Occupational. Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) adopted regulations effective July 6, 1992, imposing certain
standards on emergency workers who are subject to .exposure to blood and
body fluid. Fire departments in Orange County confronted with
emergency situations are performing duties that present a certain risk
of exposure to blood and body fluids. Examples of these duties would
be the rescue of victims from fire and assisting victims of automobile
accidents prior to the arrival of emergency medical personnel.
Orange County, through the office of Emergency Management and the
Health Department, has already provided the Hepatitis-B vaccine to fire
department first responders and emergency medical services personnel.
Hepatitis-B is one of the diseases identified in the new federal
standards for which there is an effective vaccine. This innoculation
has thus far not been routinely offered to firefighters who are not
first responders. There are approximately 200 firefighters within the
volunteer departments of Orange County who should be offered Hep-B
vaccine. The innoculation is a series of three shots - one initially,
followed by the second in one month, and the third in six months - at a
cost of $90 per series. The cost to innoculate 200 firefighters would
total $18, 000. The office of Emergency Management and the Orange
County Health Department would coordinate this effort.
This issue was discussed during one of the 1992-93 budget work
sessions, with the suggestion made that if volunteer departments were
unable to fund these innoculations, that the County consider funding
them through an appropriation from contingency.
RECOMMENDATION: The Manager recommends that the Board approve $18, 000
for Hepatitis B shots, with funding to come from contingency.