[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 151 (Wednesday, August 6, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46643-46644]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-19979]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

[60Day-03-104]


Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and 
Recommendations

    In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 for opportunity for public comment on 
proposed data collection projects, the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC) will publish periodic summaries of proposed projects. 
To request more information on the proposed projects or to obtain a 
copy of the data collection plans and instruments, call the CDC Reports 
Clearance Officer on (404) 498-1210.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, 
including through the use of automated collection techniques or other 
forms of information technology. Send comments to Seleda Perryman, CDC 
Assistant Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-D24, 
Atlanta, GA 30333. Written comments should be received within 60 days 
of this notice.
    Proposed Project: Lessons Learned from Emergency Medical Responses 
to Chemically-Contaminated Patients--New--Agency for Toxic Substances 
and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Since the September 11, 2001, World Trade 
Center Attack, there has been increased interest in improving medical 
preparedness for contaminated casualties. Anecdotal evidence and 
observations from non-chemical disasters suggests that medical planning 
may be based on some assumptions that

[[Page 46644]]

are invalid. For example, planning is often based on the following 
assumptions: (1) That victims will be decontaminated by first 
responders on the scene; (2) that victims will be transported by 
ambulances that can be directed to a hospital designated for 
contaminated casualties; and (3) that hospitals will receive advance 
notice that casualties will be arriving, so that special preparations 
can me made to receive them (e.g., lining floors and walls with plastic 
tarps; donning respirators and chemical resistant clothing).
    We propose assessing 10 incidents over a three-year period 
involving patients treated at hospitals for actual or possible 
contamination by chemicals which could pose a threat of illness or 
injury to the hospital staff that treat them. Data will be collected 
not only from hospitals but from other emergency medical and public 
safety organizations, and even members of the public who have become 
involved in the response. This is because the actions of these groups 
can have a profound effect on how hospitals carry out their emergency 
tasks. The lessons-learned during these responses will be collected by 
a field research team using semi-structured, open-ended interviews of 
those involved in the responses, for example: patients and their 
families, hospital staff, police, firefighters, emergency medical 
technicians, emergency dispatchers, and others who have knowledge of 
the response.
    Certain standardized data will also be collected, such as: number 
of victims, chemical identity, distribution of casualties among area 
hospitals, time of incident, time of hospital notification, type of 
protective clothing and respiratory protection used by hospital staff. 
A review of the existing field disaster research literature has failed 
to identify other studies that have collected this type of information. 
The results of the project will be used to develop and update training 
materials for hospitals and other emergency responders. There are no 
costs to respondents.

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                                                                     Number of    Average burden
                   Respondents                       Number of     responses per   per response    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent      (in hours)      (in hours)
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Emergency Responders............................             100               2               1             200
Patients and/or Family..........................              40               2               1              80
                                                 -----------------
    Total.......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............             280
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    Dated: July 31, 2003.
Thomas A. Bartenfeld,
Acting Associate Director for Policy, Planning and Evaluation, Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention.
[FR Doc. 03-19979 Filed 8-5-03; 8:45 am]
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