Cox's initiative to safeguard the community at-large

Recognized as a leader in serving its customers with state-of-the-art cable, broadband and entertainment services, Cox will soon broaden its local impact by safeguarding the community at-large. On October 30, 2009, Cox will be the first and only private corporation to operate as one of three Orange County locations to conduct an Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA) Point-Of-Dispensing (POD) at its Rancho Santa Margarita headquarters.

The two-hour OCHCA POD Exercise will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Friday, October 30, and will deliver seasonal influenza vaccinations (flu shots) to an estimated 1,400 countywide residents at no cost. The exercise will allow participants to evaluate emergency response capabilities to dispense vaccines in the event of an actual countywide healthcare emergency.

Explains Cox General Manager Duffy Leone, “We’re committed to the purpose and success of the POD Exercise to better prepare ourselves for real world emergencies. What better way to serve our family of customers and the community than to support the OCHCA and our city leaders in assessing Rancho Santa Margarita’s emergency response capabilities.”

Flu shots will be provided at no cost to adults and children four years of age and older to help fend off seasonal influenza. All three locations will offer both walk-up and drive-through vaccines. Participants should be feeling well on the day of the flu shot exercise and must complete a brief health screening to ensure they can safely receive a flu shot.

Partnering with the OCHCA on its POD Exercise, Cox will be the site of a simulated mass vaccination response involving Rancho Santa Margarita and adjacent city personnel, OCHCA staff, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and volunteer organizations.

Multi-county agencies will also become familiar with their critical roles in the planning, preparation, execution and response to a community of healthy residents in this Federal best practice model.