Topeka ? State and federal officials signed an agreement Wednesday outlining how Kansas will use $1.1 million in federal assistance to prepare for a pandemic flu outbreak.

The money will be used by state and local agencies to develop plans to prepare for the flu, build capacity for treating the potentially thousands of infected Kansans and coordinate federal response.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Alex Azar signed the agreement during a pandemic flu summit in Topeka, attended by hundreds of local, state and military officials who would be called upon to respond in the event of an outbreak.

Republican Sens. Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback said much has been done in the past six years to prepare as a state and nation against a potential pandemic and biological attacks. But they said more work remains to prevent a repeat of the deadly outbreak of Spanish flu in 1918, which is believed to have started in Kansas.

Azar said the 1918 flu was traced to a soldier from Haskell County who contracted the virus that spread to thousands of soldiers at Fort Riley’s Camp Funston in the spring of that year. That outbreak spread worldwide, killing more than 500,000 people and affecting as much as 30 percent of the population.

Developing plans, like the Kansas pandemic plan rolled out last fall, and building the capacity to reach flu victims within 24 to 48 hours could reduce the virus’ spread and save thousands of lives, Roberts said. Much of the response will rely on victims staying in their homes unless absolutely necessary, such as hospitalization, because of the lack of available hospital beds nationwide, he said.

Sebelius said the state and local responders have invested millions of federal dollars into developing response plans that have built a foundation for dealing with a potential health crisis. They’ve also developed networks for quickly and adequately responding to natural disasters.

Rod Bremby, Kansas secretary of health and environment, said symposiums are being conducted to work with schools, businesses, health care, churches and agriculture interests to assist in state planning and guidelines. Families are encouraged to assemble preparedness kits with food, water and medications.

“Disruption of normal services in society is expected, and this simple action can make a big difference,” Bremby said.