By Anne Scheck
DURESS OF CORONAVIRUS INCREASES COUNTY CALLS
Stress-associated episodes comprise a larger share of county law enforcement responses than ever before -- about 20% of new calls seem to be related to the strain some residents are suffering under the coronavirus stay-at-home order, Polk County Sheriff Mark Garton said Tuesday.
The abrupt changes -- business closures, job lay-offs, fear of infection -- all seem to be taking their toll. The Independence Police Department (IPD) is responding to two-to-three calls a week from families who feel "overwhelmed," according to Police Chief Robert Mason. It isn't just the lifestyle change, but the fact that "people are having to live with such uncertainty," he said.
The IPD also answers “upwards of 10 calls a day on COVID-related questions,” which typically spike after Gov. Kate Brown issues a new statement on the crisis. Today, the governor announced that the state would be able to return to more normal functioning only after significant declines in infection and the means for widespread testing and contact tracing. (To learn what access is available for resources ranging from food to housing assistance phone 211, a toll-free number).
POLK COUNTY JAIL POPULATION DOWN
The Polk County jail population is down to 28, a low number that should help prevent infection among those housed there and the employees who take care of them, according to Polk County Sheriff Mark Garton, who reported the strategy at the Polk County Board of Commissioners today.
So far, no testing yet for COVID-19 yields immediate results, so fast-acting hand-held thermometers are used to check body temperatures of those headed to jail. In addition, a medical history is taken, the sheriff explained.
This is the best approach under the circumstances, according to law enforcement officials across the Willamette Valley. Not only is medical testing for the COVID-19 infection time-consuming – sometimes taking days to get a result – there simply aren't enough test kits for wide-scale screening.
LOCAL ASSESSMENT; GOVERNOR'S SPEECH
Deciding when to return to former protocols is going to be difficult, according to Chief Ben Stange, who heads Polk County Fire District No. 1. "I use the analogy of putting studded snow tires on your car in cold, icy weather. You see what the snow is doing, so you know that's the right time. But when the snow melts, do you know how long before the next blizzard? Maybe it's not over yet."
It’s similar to the decision about tapering off measures to contain COVID-19, he said. Tires with studs help guarantee safety under winter conditions. “But when are you confident enough to take them off with (assurance) that your safety will not suffer?” he asked.
Oregon’s decision-making will occur in conjunction with the neighboring states of California and Washington, according to Gov. Kate Brown. Republican legislators have expressed the worry that assessing when Oregon should resume based on Washington and California could be detrimental for the state. “We must give Oregonians a real plan to move toward reopening the economy,” said Rep. Christine Drazan, the minority republican leader of the Oregon House of Representatives.
FINAL NOTE: How safe are the “first responders” of Independence? At Polk County Fire District No. 1, they now wear "full protection" gear, including goggles, masks and gloves, said Fire Chief Ben Stange. Generally, only two-person teams are being sent out; In most cases, only one of them is allowed to enter a residence. In fact, on good-weather days, the teams often conduct their examinations outside.
Twice a day, fire district personnel take their own temperatures. These self-checks help them spot symptoms – and in one case, detection of a fever meant one individual was sent home. When it quickly subsided, the employee was allowed to return to work.
Firefighters and paramedics have held their recent drills by linking online from remote locations. In the past, drills were conducted on Wednesday nights at the fire station, where emergency vehicles and other on-site technology could be used. Though the internet link-up for drills is only temporary, other forms of video-conferencing are likely to become a more common tool in the future, Chief Stange observed. For volunteers in rural areas, this option is proving more convenient, he added.
DURESS OF CORONAVIRUS INCREASES COUNTY CALLS
Stress-associated episodes comprise a larger share of county law enforcement responses than ever before -- about 20% of new calls seem to be related to the strain some residents are suffering under the coronavirus stay-at-home order, Polk County Sheriff Mark Garton said Tuesday.
The abrupt changes -- business closures, job lay-offs, fear of infection -- all seem to be taking their toll. The Independence Police Department (IPD) is responding to two-to-three calls a week from families who feel "overwhelmed," according to Police Chief Robert Mason. It isn't just the lifestyle change, but the fact that "people are having to live with such uncertainty," he said.
The IPD also answers “upwards of 10 calls a day on COVID-related questions,” which typically spike after Gov. Kate Brown issues a new statement on the crisis. Today, the governor announced that the state would be able to return to more normal functioning only after significant declines in infection and the means for widespread testing and contact tracing. (To learn what access is available for resources ranging from food to housing assistance phone 211, a toll-free number).
POLK COUNTY JAIL POPULATION DOWN
The Polk County jail population is down to 28, a low number that should help prevent infection among those housed there and the employees who take care of them, according to Polk County Sheriff Mark Garton, who reported the strategy at the Polk County Board of Commissioners today.
So far, no testing yet for COVID-19 yields immediate results, so fast-acting hand-held thermometers are used to check body temperatures of those headed to jail. In addition, a medical history is taken, the sheriff explained.
This is the best approach under the circumstances, according to law enforcement officials across the Willamette Valley. Not only is medical testing for the COVID-19 infection time-consuming – sometimes taking days to get a result – there simply aren't enough test kits for wide-scale screening.
LOCAL ASSESSMENT; GOVERNOR'S SPEECH
Deciding when to return to former protocols is going to be difficult, according to Chief Ben Stange, who heads Polk County Fire District No. 1. "I use the analogy of putting studded snow tires on your car in cold, icy weather. You see what the snow is doing, so you know that's the right time. But when the snow melts, do you know how long before the next blizzard? Maybe it's not over yet."
It’s similar to the decision about tapering off measures to contain COVID-19, he said. Tires with studs help guarantee safety under winter conditions. “But when are you confident enough to take them off with (assurance) that your safety will not suffer?” he asked.
Oregon’s decision-making will occur in conjunction with the neighboring states of California and Washington, according to Gov. Kate Brown. Republican legislators have expressed the worry that assessing when Oregon should resume based on Washington and California could be detrimental for the state. “We must give Oregonians a real plan to move toward reopening the economy,” said Rep. Christine Drazan, the minority republican leader of the Oregon House of Representatives.
FINAL NOTE: How safe are the “first responders” of Independence? At Polk County Fire District No. 1, they now wear "full protection" gear, including goggles, masks and gloves, said Fire Chief Ben Stange. Generally, only two-person teams are being sent out; In most cases, only one of them is allowed to enter a residence. In fact, on good-weather days, the teams often conduct their examinations outside.
Twice a day, fire district personnel take their own temperatures. These self-checks help them spot symptoms – and in one case, detection of a fever meant one individual was sent home. When it quickly subsided, the employee was allowed to return to work.
Firefighters and paramedics have held their recent drills by linking online from remote locations. In the past, drills were conducted on Wednesday nights at the fire station, where emergency vehicles and other on-site technology could be used. Though the internet link-up for drills is only temporary, other forms of video-conferencing are likely to become a more common tool in the future, Chief Stange observed. For volunteers in rural areas, this option is proving more convenient, he added.
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