FB Hospital may get bioterrorism prep funding

Fallbrook Hospital is expected to receive a portion of bioterrorism preparedness funding from the County of San Diego.

A Board of Supervisors vote February 8 authorized revenue agreements for $3,044,201 of Federal funding, and negotiations are under way with Fallbrook Hospital. The hospital, which received $59,211 in Health Resources and Services Administration Year 2 funding last year, is expected to receive approximately $44,000 in HRSA Year 3 funding.

“The purpose of that is to ensure our availability of beds expecting 1,500 casualties in four hours,” said Nancy Bowen, the county’s public health officer.

HRSA Year 2 funding was provided for hospitals to build service capacity, while Year 3 funding will allow hospitals to buy equipment or supplies. Some Year 3 money will also be set aside to train staff and conduct drills.

The county received $903,664 in HRSA funding, although the emphasis on the distribution was placed on the six local trauma and burn facilities which would be most likely to experience a surge in patients in the event of a significant event.