What is the Strategic National Stockpile, and how is it deployed?
The Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), is a collection of life-saving pharmaceuticals and medical supplies that was created as a resource to re-supply communities during an emergency such as an act of terrorism or a natural disaster. The Departments of Health and Human Services and Homeland Security oversee the SNS. One key component of the SNS is the 12-hour Push Packages, designed to arrive within 12 hours of deployment. The SNS is not to be depended upon for first response efforts due to the potential lag-time of 12 hours. A pitfall of the SNS is that the precise contents are not public knowledge due to security concerns. This has created confusion in preparedness efforts; however, practitioners can rest assured that inventory is sufficient. According to the CDC, content is driven by likelihood of a specific agent being used for terrorism and the susceptibility of the population. According to the CDC Web site, contents include antibiotics, antidotes for chemical agents, antitoxins,
