Bird flu will be topic of presentation at CSC

Medcalf’s presentation to the Chadron community will be 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan.11, at the Bordeaux Room of CSC’s Student Center. No admission will be charged for the 1½-hour presentation.

Prior to Wednesday night’s presentation, she will talk to CSC student groups. She also is scheduled to speak to the Chadron State faculty and staff and the Chadron Rotary Club on Thursday, Jan. 12.

According to news reports, about half of the 140 people who have contracted avian influenza in Asia have died. It was reported this week that two siblings in rural Turkey died of the malady, making them the first human victims of the disease outside of China and Southeast Asia.

Medcalf develops educational programs about biological, chemical and radiological terrorism geared toward the needs of Nebraska’s health care providers, public health officials and first responders.

Medcalf has 15 years of acute care experience that includes being a member of an air and ground transport emergency team. She has worked in Canada and Saudie Arabia, and her career eventually evolved from nursing to infection control and staff development, to education.

She holds a master’s degree in adult education from the University of Oklahoma.

Before being hired to her current position, Medcalf has been involved with various bioterrorism preparedness committees, including the Omaha Metropolitan Medical Response Team.

The Nebraska Center for Bioterrorism Education works throught the University of Nebraska Medical Center at Omaha with a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for bioterrorism and public health emergency preparedness.