04/09/2020
An Important Message from Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director Denis McCarthy!!
To All Boards Members and Commissioners
Please help Fairfield pull together and stay apart.
You are receiving this message as you are an important town leader. We need your help in leading our community through this crisis. You are a force multiplier and are part of our community response.
Today the Governor amended his executive order to extend the mandatory closure of schools and restaurants until at least May 20th.
As we continue our Stay Safe, Stay Home posture we ask that Board/RTM members and Commissions encourage residents to maintain the physical distancing recommendations. We must be determined and disciplined to continue these good health and hygiene practices to keep infection and death rates low.
Town Hall and Government Operations
All departments continue operations with very limited in-building staff. The PD, FD and DPW are maintaining much of our traditional operations, but with appropriate personal protective equipment and social distancing.
All Town Hall departments are working with skeleton crews. Drop-off options for plans, permit applications, assessment appeals, tax payments and Town Clerk records are all working smoothly. All in-person staff are wearing face coverings, except when in private offices alone. For the balance of the staff, work from home systems are also working well.
Remote meeting arrangements have been made for Board and Commission meetings and those have restarted this week.
Multiple departments are responding to complaints and questions from the public. In many cases, one or more departments consult on a specific issue to ensure consistency and that the most appropriate solution is developed. We work on the concept that ‘we are all smarter together than anyone of us alone’.
Command Staff/Leadership Team meets at least every two days with subgroups meeting in between to problem solve. Most of the teams participate by conference call, as part of our efforts to promote social distancing among leadership. We participate in local, regional, and statewide conference calls to confirm that we are acting on the best information available.
In addition to flatten the curve initiatives, we have concentrated on problems in public spaces (i.e. recreation areas, grocery and hardware stores and private clubs). Board and RTM members and Commissioners are force multipliers and we continue to depend on your assistance in this important part of our response.
We monitor the circumstances and needs of our congregate care facilities. We work with the planning and logistics sections to address needs of the most vulnerable in our community. We have developed alternatives for residents who are at risk due to age, medical condition, or family circumstances who cannot get to the store for basic necessities. We have built on existing systems, such as the Senior Center Food Program and Operation Hope to fill these urgent needs.
We have engaged the Clergy Association and over 40 Houses of Worship in spreading the message of physical distancing. Many have offered to assist by expanding the services they offer to their congregations and extend those services to all in need regardless of affiliation.
The Health Department, Police Department, Senior Center, Social Services, Fairfield Public Schools, Private Providers, Emergency Management and the Clergy are collaborating to provide enhanced behavioral health services to residents in crisis. As you know this pandemic can fray nerves and create unsettling anxiety. If left unchecked or untreated these impacts may be the most persistent and challenging result of the crisis. Each department and agency provides unique skills, abilities, and resources to address these challenges.
Operations Section Our operations staff continues to monitor emergency responses from all agencies and coordinate information sharing. This group is heavily focused on service delivery to the public and responder safety. We have a rumor control process to vet any information that could affect the safety and security of or responders. Currently the sick absences are very low among first responders. Town wide calls for service for Fire and Police are down. We stay in close contact with AMR Ambulance to maintain a clear picture of our EMS response capabilities, which remain strong.
Planning Section has representation from major and supporting departments including FD, PD, DPW, Health, Senior Services and the Selectwoman’s Office. The mission of the planning section is to anticipate needs and services in the upcoming days. They are charged to look over the horizon to predict what challenges and resources we may face in coming weeks. Personal protective equipment for responders, as well as support and cleaning staff, have received considerable attention. We maintain a close liaison to the private sector and Chamber of Commerce to assist in our planning efforts. Initial recovery discussions have begun to anticipate future needs when we begin recovery operations. State and Federal financial assistance programs are becoming available and are coordinated through the First Selectwoman’s Office, Finance Department, Economic Development and Emergency Management.
Logistics Section is responsible for acquiring resources for the operations section as directed by planning and well as for the community at large. This section, working alongside the Health Department, is assisting the nursing and assisted living facilities source personal protective equipment for their staff members. The logistics team has focused on food supplies, facilities cleaning, medical supplies, PPE, respiratory protection for responders, and data management. We are in the process of creating a donations management system to administer the offers of financial donations as well as donations of goods and services.
Finance is tracking all expenditures associated with the Town’s response to the crisis in an effort to be positioned to apply for federal reimbursement should the President and FEMA open those options for local communities.
Public Information/Joint Information Center is responsible for coordinating messaging across all departments and on all platforms to ensure accurate, consistent and timely updates. The PIO group assists with message development and distribution and supports the Selectwoman’s messaging efforts.
Closing
Thank you for you continued leadership in the Town. I hope you can enjoy the religious holidays this weekend. Please do not hesitate to ask specific questions or offer suggestions on areas of information updates that you and other elected and appointed officials need to be responsive to your friend’s neighbors and constituents. Please send those by email to [email protected]
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Operation Hope
https://operationhopect.org/donate/
Fairfield COVId-19 Relief Fund
[email protected]
Thank you,
Denis McCarthy
Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director
Your donations provide essential services to help the hungry and homeless families in Fairfield County, Connecticut.
