Equiping hospitals is one thing. Being able to execute use of the equipment is another. Local hospital had a situation where their decon tent had to be erected and used. Picture the Keystone Cops in action, a total cluster in responding to the event. The best plans and equipment are useless unless there is constant drill and training.
Our city paid significant money for a police dog and sent an officer to train with him. The officer was promoted to Lieutenant. He warms an office chair all day while the dog sits in a kennel. The officer took the dog out to demonstrate his capabilities last week. The dog just sat quietly. Didn't do a thing. Failure to drill the dog on a regular and frequent basis has resulted in a total loss of response. The city is just paying for a fancy house pet for a police officer.
My husband and I participated in one of the local emergency smallpox tests which was held in a nearby city. All participants were asked to fill out a questionaire about how they felt the test was organized. It's anyone's guess how much tweaking individual cities need to do as a result since those tests were conducted.