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What should Municipalities store?

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  • What should Municipalities store?

    Here is my question that I would love people to answer.

    I am the Homeland Security / EMA for my County. We are in the process of putting together an inventory to purchase in case of a Pandemic Flu.

    My question is simple, but first a few facts. My County doesn't have very much money to spend, but we need to keep the County government running (the Cities are in charge of their own supplies). Each of the First Responder Departments, including Public Health, in the County and Cities have their own surplus.

    Each of the following departments I need to buy supplies for in case of a Pandemic Flu:
    Road and Bridge
    Treasurers Office
    County Clerk Office
    Assessors Office
    Homeland Security Office
    Clerk of Court Office
    Variety of Judges and their Office Workers, and
    Custodians.

    My question is what do you think I should buy with a limited budget?

    Also will earloop masks be sufficient along with safety glasses, non-latex gloves, and anti-viral sprays/wipes?

    I know some of the answers will say it depends on how the bird flu mutates, but I have to make a few decisions within the next month.

    ALSO... our computer system if an ASA400 which means they will not be able to work from home. .... and those who can't work from home, we are looking to put them to work in other areas of administrative/clerical response.

    I appreciate reading your answers or emailing me at washemd@rtconnect.net.

    Many thanks.

  • #2
    Re: What should Municipalities store?

    I thought I would put some very basic things here for all to read and would then e-mail you for a more extended list.

    The most important money you will spend is to educate workers. Social distancing, hygiene, coughing into elbow, etc...

    Install UV lights in your H-Vac systems. The lights are inexpensive and usually easy to install. They kill the virus as it passes through your heating and air conditioning system.

    You will need masks rated to at least N-95. They will not stop virus floating freely in the air but will stop any that are on the surface of exhaled or sneezed water droplets.

    Use bleach wipes rather than virus killing sprays. They do a better job of killing the virus and usually do not trigger allergy attacks. Bleach should be stored in fairly large quantities. Your custodial staffs will be key to limiting the spread of the virus. And since this will be a critical job during the emergency, you might consider moving some of your staff to this position. Additionally, each person should be required to wipe down all surfaces a few times each day around their work station.

    Switch to mail in bill payment only and spray all incoming mail with bleach water solution. Limiting public exposure of your employees will limit transmission by possibly infected citizens and reassure those workers dealing with the public they will have less of a chance of becoming infected if they do go to work.

    Cease issuing all building permits when your state government issues a state of emergency.

    Reduce all meetings to an absolute minimum. Hold all meetings outdoors during daylight hours. Again UV light from the sun will help limit virus transmission.

    You will need to make a decision regarding which items your offices cannot function without. Paper as an example. As supply will probably be interrupted, warehousing a tree month supply would be prudent.

    Fuel supplies will also be interrupted. If you plan to use generators as a back-up, then you will need a storage fuel tank. It may be possible to rent a tank or, make arrangements with a supplier to have sole use of fuel from a specific depot. Your attorney, Homeland Security and emergency managers, will need to be involved in this transaction. You should also make sure that all alternative power sources are in good operating condition prior to pandemic. If something critical breaks down replacement parts may be very difficult to come by.

    Several of our local cities and counties have stipulated their workers need to have a bug out bag kept in the office. If an extended stay at the office is required because of quarantine, they have clean clothes and hygiene articles available. Most cities have provided the backpack, along with some toiletries, and dried foods.
    Please do not ask me for medical advice, I am not a medical doctor.

    Avatar is a painting by Alan Pollack, titled, "Plague". I'm sure it was an accident that the plague girl happened to look almost like my twin.
    Thank you,
    Shannon Bennett

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    • #3
      Re: What should Municipalities store?

      Shannon has provide some excellent information. I would emphasis what she said about educating the employees. Having PPE, pandemic supplies, and conduct rules are no good if people don't understand why they need to follow the procedures or don't know why and how to use the supplies and PPE. You should have a small packet of information that explains about bird flu, consequences, etc., and information on how and when to use the supplies you are now accumulating.

      You need to prioritize the "critical" tasks in each department and then, if possible, cross-train employees to take over these tasks if necessary. Some business plans include putting half of their "critical" employees on leave (assuming there are prepared to isolate at home) and recalling them as on-the-job critical employees fall ill. The goal is to spread out sickness among critcal employees, so there is always someone to fall back on.

      Buying supplies is important, but it is just as important to have plan.
      http://novel-infectious-diseases.blogspot.com/

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      • #4
        Re: What should Municipalities store?

        Chlorine is very important to store and the back up power to maintain water treatment and distribution.

        Ham radio communications

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        • #5
          Re: What should Municipalities store?

          Excellent suggestions above.
          Training staff on hygienic behaviors, such as handwashing, cover coughs and stay home when sick I agree is important.
          Our county health director challenges all employers to do the following table top exercise to work on personnel issues:
          1. Have your executive team meet with your personnel director. Have the personnel director randomly remove 1 out of every 5 employees from each department or division, including executive management. Now decide how you will accomplish your mission essential work. Will some work processes need to be modified?
          2. Now, assume you are a week later, take out another 1 out of 5 remaining employees but 1/4 of all the absentees can come back (random from the sample but not stratified by department). Again figure out how to accomplish your mission.
          3. Repeat cycle one more time. Now plan on continuing to function with this level of personnel for the next 3 months.
          Sobering.
          Now the actual pandemic will play out with different numbers but this exercise gives a place to start and build some skills.
          CR

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          • #6
            Re: What should Municipalities store?

            I notice you have "Road and Bridge" in your list if this includes any moving bridges spares and hydraulic fluid. In fact memo all stores personal about spares for any machinery requiring parts or consumables, particularly if they are manufactured overseas. Heating, lighting, air-conditioning (and think legionaries disease), elevators etc. etc.

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