The McKean County Department of Emergency Services activated extended efforts on Monday following a declaration of emergency by county officials. In a statement today, DES has provided a status update regarding emergency preparedness for addressing the impact of COVID-19 on first responders and local communities.
McKean County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) remains activated and is working with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Response Coordination Center (CRCC) to help local responders prepare for this potential disaster. Equipment, resources and personnel have been inventoried to identify any threats to an increase in emergency services needs resulting from the COVID-19 crisis.
The McKean County Department of Emergency Services has received a shipment from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to be used strictly for ambulance, Quick Response Services (QRS) and fire department personnel. Items received included gowns, face shields, N95 masks, patient masks and gloves.
“Supplies are still limited and the potential impact of a sudden and sharp rise in cases will create a burden on our first responders and healthcare providers,” said McKean County Deputy EMA Director Gerard Rettger. “This shipment will help to protect our personnel as they carry out their duties in serving the publics medical needs, as cases emerge we will need to reassess additional needs.”
Services will be notified when and where they can pick up the valuable and much needed supplies. One of the main objectives of EOC is to keep both municipalities and first responders updated. This includes measures such as the recent declarations of a state of emergency required by the county and each municipality in order to qualify for any potential federal and state disaster funding. This declaration also allows officials to take immediate action as needed while the state of emergency is active.
As of March 20, 2020, the following municipalities have declared a state of emergency: McKean County, Bradford City, Bradford Township, Foster Township, Hamlin Township, Keating Township, Liberty Township, Mount Jewett Borough, Otto Township, Port Allegany Borough and Smethport Borough.
McKean County 911 Coordinator Joel Anderson explained, “There is a change in procedure for evaluating incoming 911 calls. In order to identify COVID-19 exposure, callers will be asked a series of questions and if a case is identified as suspect COVID-19, dispatchers will notify emergency responders to take precautionary measures.” See related article detailing this tool.
Another vital component of DES through the EOC is provide information to anyone involved in the provision of emergency services and to the public who may need emergency assistance. “Anyone who becomes ills is reminded that the Department of Health has issued protocol to first call your medical provider or medical facility or the Department of Health. Patients will be advised how to proceed, “said DES Director Tracy Carl.
Anderson added, “Patients who arrive in an ambulance will be triaged (evaluated) by hospital staff and will not receive priority treatment. Patients who arrive at the hospital by private vehicle will also be prioritized by the severity of symptoms and need for treatment.”
As part of the activation of an Emergency Operations Center for Incident COVID-19, a Situation Report each day to the McKean County Commissioners and the Public Information Officer. The report outlines the current situation, evaluates preparedness and reports any casualties and occurrences. To date, no cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in McKean County. One case has been reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Health in Potter County.
EMA 2nd Deputy, Bruce Manning, also serves as part of the EOC team. The team monitors updates from PEMA and the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) to assess potential emergency situations for McKean County and to track reported cases and changes in procedure for treatment. “Monitoring these fast-paced updates from the state is vital for the safety of our staff, emergency responders and for anyone in the community who is impacted by this virus,” stated Manning. “Please stay calm, stay home and stay safe.”
Manning indicated that PPE stock will be distributed to local emergency responders on Friday and Saturday. If any municipality needs any information they can contact their Local Emergency Management Coordinator (LEMC) and if they need any assistance they can contact the County EOC.
Released by:
McKean County Public Information Officer
Pamela Burlingame
pjburlingame@mckeancountypa.org