Flu clinic gives Calabasas emergency teams a boost

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers SHOT IN THE ARM- Jennifer Page tries to put on a happy face prior to her flu shot in Calabasas last weekend. More than 900 flu shots were administered in fewer than two and a half hours last weekend as part of an emergency preparedness drill for the city of Calabasas.

The drive-thru flu clinic was held at A.E. Wright Middle School on Saturday and served not only to administer the influenza vaccine, but to provide a trial run in case of a disaster. The city teamed up with the California Department of Public Health and the Los Angeles County Public Health Department to conduct the exercise.

Approximately 550 vehicles arrived, and Mayor Pro Tem Mary Sue Maurer called the clinic a success.

"The number of people that came through, the efficiency of delivering the shots, it absolutely exceeded our expectations," Maurer said. "It was remarkable and the people were so appreciative."

The city also used the week leading up to the flu clinic to test an emergency calling system that is able to pinpoint streets and neighborhoods that need might emergency information. In this case, messages were left that notified area residents of the upcoming clinic. Maurer said she thought about 95 percent of the people who showed up were from Calabasas, and many vehicles were seen again and again.

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers HELPING HAND- Health worker Joysworth Eyitayo gives Calabasas resident Alex Cohen, 6, a flu shot during the drivethrough clinic last weekend at A.E. Wright Middle School. "On more than a few occasions cars returned with different people inside them," Maurer said. "It was so easy- they drove home, picked up another family member who maybe hadn't been home or wasn't ready- and brought them back."

Maurer said the longest wait was at the beginning of the event when cars lined up prior to start time. But for the most part people didn't have to wait more than 10 minutes.

Los Angeles County will use the Calabasas clinic as a model for similar exercises, according to Michael Hafken, a city spokesperson.

"Six months of planning went into this," Maurer said. "In an emergency situation, you don't have the luxury of planning for six months. Now we have a plan."