The CDC’s Cities Readiness Initiative (CRI) is a federally funded program designed to enhance preparedness in large population areas. The goal of the program is to minimize the loss of lives during a public health emergency by rapidly dispensing medication to the entire population within 48 hours of an identified bioterrorism attack.
The program is supported by medical caches held in reserve and maintained by the Strategic National Stockpile for public health emergencies.
The CRI Program relies on support from the community in the form of PODs, (Points of Dispensing.) Medication is dispensed through Open Pods intended for every resident, and through Closed PODs which are not open to the public but are operated by volunteers for a specific population.