SILVER SPRING, Md., Nov. 25 (UPI) -- The U.S. Defense Department has contracted SimQuest to develop a training tool simulating an influenza pandemic outbreak.
The Office of the Secretary of Defense awarded Maryland-based SimQuest a phase II contract as part of an effort to establish emergency preparedness models to address the potential threat of an influenza pandemic outbreak in the United States. Under the phase II deal, SimQuest will develop a training tool simulating the spread of influenza.
SimQuest will also develop training models with various pandemic scenarios for military applications because of the likely involvement of the U.S. military during a pandemic.
"The problem is that the world is due for an influenza pandemic, with the last one occurring in 1968, and there is a severe shortage of caregivers experienced in pandemic flu response," Bob Waddington, SimQuest chief operating officer, said in a statement.
"Our goal is to create an engaging training application for medical treatment facility administrators and supervisors, as well as the military, which can increase readiness and minimize the potential for chaos during the next pandemic outbreak of influenza."
