Information for Hospitals and First Responders on the Laboratory Response Network-Chemical (LRN-C)
The Laboratory Response Network
(LRN) is a network of local, state and federal laboratories that provide the
infrastructure and capacity to respond to biological and chemical terrorism and
other public health emergencies. The LRN provides a mechanism for laboratories
to access additional resources when their capabilities or capacity have been
exceeded. The LRN-C is a subset of LRN laboratories that specialize in the
detection of chemical agents.
Mission
The mission of the California
LRN-C laboratory is to serve in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) nationwide network of laboratories that provide surge capacity for
the identification of toxic chemicals
and their metabolites in human specimens. This mission includes preparing California hospitals, healthcare
providers and laboratories to properly collect, package, ship and store clinical
specimens during a public health emergency.
Background
The CDC Public Health
Emergency Preparedness (PHEP)
cooperative agreement provides selected laboratories located in U.S. states,
territories, and metropolitan areas with support for emergency response. The
California LRN-C Level 1 Laboratory is housed in the California Department of
Public Health (CDPH) Drinking Water and Radiation Laboratory and provides CDC
with surge capacity in the event of a public health emergency. This
laboratory is able to detect toxic chemicals and their metabolites in human
samples including chemical warfare agents (e.g., sulfur and nitrogen mustards,
organophosphorus nerve agents), toxins, metals and toxic industrial chemicals.
The LRN-C laboratory is equipped with high throughput techniques giving capacity
to analyze large numbers of patient specimens if needed. The LRN-C
also works with hospitals and other healthcare facilities and first responders
in California to maintain capabilities for proper clinical specimen collection,
shipping and storage to facilitate response in an emergency.
For more information about the LRN-C program visit CDC Chemical Laboratory Response Network,
For more
information about the CDPH Drinking Water and Radiation Laboratory, visit the CDPH DWRL Page
Specimen Collection and Shipping Information:
The CDPH Drinking Water and Radiation Laboratory's LRN-C
Level 1 Laboratory website has specimen collection and shipping information,
see: http:/www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/Pages/ChemicalLaboratoryResponseNetwork(LRN-C).aspx
Contact:
In an emergency, please contact the CDPH Duty Officer for
more information and instructions at (916) 328-3605 or email the CDPHDutyOfficer@cdph.ca.gov