Health: Emergency Preparedness: Chempack

About the Indiana CHEMPACK Program

What is CHEMPACK and what does it mean for the State of Indiana?

CHEMPACK is a national program funded by the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and is an extension of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) program. CHEMPACK is a first responder asset that provides supplemental antidotes and treatments for individuals exposed to intentional nerve agent attacks and large-scale organophosphate (pesticide) poisonings.
The purpose of CHEMPACK is to implement a nationwide program for the “forward” placement of nerve agent antidotes and to provide state and local governments with a sustainable resource that increases their capability to respond quickly to a nerve agent event.
What's inside the CHEMPACK containers?

CHEMPACK comes in two types of containers: hospital and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) containers. A hospital container is designed for hospital dispensing, and the medication comes in multi-dose vials. The EMS container is designed for use by first responders, and medications come in auto-injectors. The hospital containers have enough supplies to provide 1,000 treatment courses. The EMS containers have enough to provide 454 treatment courses.
How are CHEMPACK containers stored?
How will CHEMPACK containers be deployed?

Those first on the scene make an initial assessment of the incident, including the potential need for a CHEMPACK based on that initial scene assessment. To request the activation of a CHEMPACK, the incident commander (IC) or EMS Officer will coordinate with the closest cache host site, local hospital, and emergency management agency (EMA).
Does the State of Indiana have a CHEMPACK Plan?

Indiana CHEMPACK Plan

The CHEMPACK program managed by the ASPR Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), prepositions nerve agent antidotes at hospital and EMS locations across the state. The program encompasses the local management of federal assets to support a response to a nerve agent release incident ranging from organophosphate farming exposure to acts of terrorism.

Key Updates:

Improved organizational flow of the plan
Roles and responsibilities of cache sites
Transportation agreements for the deployment of the assets
CHEMPACK Deployment Quick Reference chart
Authorized persons to open a CHEMPACK
Example of a Hospital Deployment Plan
Nerve Agent Exposure Treatment Guides for pediatrics and adults

Local Jurisdictional Nerve Agent Incident Guidance

This guidance document outlines planning considerations to guide local jurisdictions in the development of locally funded, procured, and managed nerve agent and organophosphate exposure incident medical countermeasures. This guidance is meant to supplement the existing federal CHEMPACK program resources

CHEMPACK Purpose Meeting - May 25, 2023

In May of 2023 IDOH DEP hosted a meeting for Indian CHEMPACK cache hosts and HCCs to provide information on the current landscape of the Indiana CHEMPACK Program.

Information provided included CHEMPACK History & Purpose, Local Use and Notification Procedures, Indiana MOA & SLA Paperwork, STMS Modernization (POTS to LTE), Contact Information & SharePoint, and HCC Funding & HPP BP5 Chemical Surge Focus.

Additional Resources

Cache site CHEMPACK managers and end-users: Click the icon below to access the CHEMPACK SharePoint Site (managed by HHS/ASPR)