In anticipation of the upcoming flu season, the 15th Regimental Signal Brigade has implemented policies, procedures, and emplaced equipment in the brigade area to reduce the risk of spreading communicable diseases throughout its population.

As discussed during the town hall meeting on the H1N1 virus, the experts agree one of the best and most effective measures to prevent the spread of viruses is frequent hand washing. When soap and water are not available alcoholbased sanitation agents are an effective alternative to washing hands. Thus, the 15th RSB installed hand washing sanitizing dispensers throughout the brigade’s footprint. These sanitizing stations are located in all company common areas, latrines, and showers and depending on location they are gel, foam or soap type of dispensers. In addition to this equipment, the brigade also placed a bulk order for pocket hand sanitizers for every Soldier to be carried with them at all times.

The brigade is focusing on preventive measures to limit exposure among Soldiers living in the barracks, such as head to toe sleeping arrangements, using wall lockers as dividers when unable to meet the minimal distance between Soldiers’ sleep areas. In addition, the brigade has coordinated with Directorate of Public Works to service all Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning systems to provide cleaner indoor air in the barracks. Educating Soldiers on how proper sanitation can reduce the spread of communicable diseases is a high priority in the brigade. Getting the message out has been a team effort: Company commanders throughout the brigade have educated Soldiers on proper sanitation procedures during weekly safety briefs; First Sergeants have arranged for Health and Wellness training; battalions have had Preventive Medicine conduct a walkthrough of the Soldiers’ living spaces to make suggestions on improving health conditions within the brigade footprint. Additionally, the 15th RSB has posted links for Soldiers and their Families concerning the H1N1 virus on its website: www.gordon.army.mil/ sigbde15. The brigade has also taken steps in the unfortunate event that a Soldier does become ill with the flu or other highly contagious illness. Each company in the 15th RSB has an isolation room designated for Soldiers who cannot remain at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center as an inpatient, and must return to their company. Isolating these Soldiers not only limits infection exposure, it also aids the platoon sergeants in caring for the infected Soldier’s (or Soldiers’) needs when providing meals and other basic needs. In addition to the company isolation rooms, the 15th RSB has identified a barracks to be used for isolation in case of pandemic outbreak. The 15th RSB Pandemic Plan allows for the care and accountability of Soldiers in the event that all the company isolation rooms become filled. As viruses can quickly spread throughout dense populations when not mitigated effectively, this measure will attempt to contain the infected population in a much greater scale while limiting contact to the rest of the brigade population.

It has often been said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. By recognizing the threat of how communicable diseases can quickly spread and disrupt operations, the 15th RSB is using all current recourses to curve and reduce the threat. Working closely with the Preventive Medicine team at DDEAMC, the 15th RSB will continue to research, develop, and implement ways to improve its current pandemic plan throughout the flu season.