Although unlikely, manmade or naturally occurring emergencies involving biological agents, chemical agents, radiation, or nuclear attack are always a possibility. Working with federal, state, and local agencies, the Office of Public Health Preparedness Branch (PHP) acts to safeguard the public in case of such incidents through emergency planning and in-state coordination of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS).

SNS is a federally-run system of getting crucial medication to a local population in the event of a bioterrorism incident, chemical or radiological emergency, a major natural disaster, or a pandemic. These life-saving medications or vaccines are quickly distributed through point of dispensing sites, or PODS, to large numbers of people during a public health emergency. To find out more about PODs, please visit our Strategic National Stockpile page.

Last reviewed September 2021