The Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department last week mailed out 10,000 surveys to medical personnel to assess their eligibility and willingness to receive a smallpox vaccination.

"These surveys are for planning purposes only so we can assess the potential pool of workers should a bioterrorism incident occur," Health Commissioner Stan Saalman said. "This does not mean that all medical personnel will be vaccinated."

All registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nurse assistants, police officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, social workers, pharmacists, respiratory therapists and all other hospital personnel have been asked to complete the survey.

"If first response and medical teams are vaccinated against smallpox, that is a decision that will come from the federal government," Saalman said. "We are sending out the surveys and preparing to train staff in vaccine administration so we are prepared."

Village and city officials met with the health department last week to finalize plans for handling large-scale smallpox immunizations.

"With our smallpox plan all county residents could be vaccinated within five days if necessary," said Regina Smeltzer, director of nursing for the health department. "It is our hope that this well-constructed plan is completed and then gathers dust on a shelf because we never need to activate it."