Beatrice Puts in Place Incident Command Structure, For Coronavirus

BEATRICE - The City of Beatrice implemented its Incident Command Structure this week, as local officials monitor the Coronavirus.
No cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the local area, but Incident Command Team Leader, Fire and Rescue Chief Brian Daake says being prepared, is the goal.

"Pretty much to follow the same lines like last March, when we had the flood. We've got a group of stakeholders from various disciplines....city officials, county officials, public safety, the hospital, the schools, emergency management and Public Health Solutions".

Daake says local residents should take the same precautions all other citizens would normally take, to avoid illness.
"A lot of it is, eat healthy, drink lots of water....if you get sick, stay home...wash your hands, constantly, don't touch your face. It's just....don't overreact...just stay calm and we will get through this".

One hope is that a change in seasons may have some effect on the Coronavirus, reducing the threat. The team concept, Daake says, is expected to be a fairly long process, with officials meeting periodically to monitor the situation.
Daake says Beatrice Community Hospital is encouraging people who are sick or may suspect they are being affected by the Coronavirus, to first call an eight-hundred number that has been established.

 
"It's one-eight-hundred-8-5-9--0-2-4-0. That's for people who think they might have been exposed to the Coronavirus. So, instead of just showing up at the doctor's office or the emergency room we really encourage people to call ahead. Don't call 9-1-1. Call there....they have nurses on staff to answer that number and they'll do screening questions, and then make a decision on what kind of care you need, from there".

Daake says his EMS crews and police officers take precautions when they answer calls involving ill or injured persons. He says the departments follow Centers for Disease Control guidelines for dealing with patients. That includes the type of protective clothing or gear that is used.

"If you call that eight hundred number, they may not tell you what you want to hear....like you're well. If you decide to call 9-1-1 and we come to you and transport you, you're not going to move to the head of the line, by coming in by ambulance. It's still going to go through that screening process".
Daake says using 9-1-1 instead of calling the toll-free number, could waste resources and keep ambulance crews from going to a scene where more immediate help is needed.

As local officials monitor the Coronavirus…Nebraska Lawmakers have been told by Speaker Jim Scheer that the health concern could suspend this year’s sixty-day session.
State Senator Myron Dorn of Adams says the one item that must be accomplished is approval of mid-biennium budget appropriations, by the 50th day of the 60-day session.

 
"We are right now, in recess until Tuesday morning at nine o'clock. But, he did mention we are in recess now, until the next bell. If he would have said the bell at Tuesday morning, we would have had to come back in, and have a quorum that day. What this does allow...if it comes to that over the weekend...we can now delay our session. We still will have the sixty days...we may delay it for a period of a week or two. That is an unknown, right now". 

Nebraska lawmakers passed day 40, on Thursday.