0420L-SATURDAY OUTLOOK & INFO FROM GARFIELD COUNTY EMERGENCY MGMT-3/21/2020

1-I hope everyone got outside yesterday to get a little sunshine. It’s going away for a while once again. Rain chances coming back with a few thunderstorms possible. There will be a severe threat Monday evening so we’ll see how this mess comes together. Here is your countywide forecast from the NWS/NORMAN; Today- Partly cloudy then becoming mostly cloudy early afternoon.  Highs in the lower 50s with southeast winds around 10 mph.

Tonight-Showers and a chance of thunderstorms this evening and overnight. Patchy fog after midnight. Not as cool. Lows in the lower 40s. Southeast winds around 10 mph.

THE DIRECTOR’S PERSPECTIVE ON COVID-19

This virus is a major respiratory issue, NOT GASTROINTESTINAL. It can kill anyone with a weakened immune system such as heart issues, diabetes, cancer, etc. I understand some of the panic out there but most of that is stirred up from the media. You don’t hear all of the information on any case, only COVID-19 killed them. Rumors on social media are rampant and most are not true. I have asked folks to go to the CDC website and read the information there to better understand this mess. Most don’t because in my opinion, they would rather be told. How can you believe JUST what you’re told?

In my position as your Emergency Manager, I preach preparedness. Preparedness for disasters, storms, earthquakes, flooding, and somehow the biological stuff got overlooked. We can prepare for the storms and other disasters I listed above but preparing for biological sometimes comes on the fly. This means we have to adjust as things occur or may occur. I don’t like it any more than you do but WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT. I personally am not in total agreement with the latest proclamation BUT the Mayor is trying to protect the citizens he is responsible for and even with some of the inconveniences, we need to comply as best we can. We receive information and have to make decisions based on that. Is it always the right decision? We hope so. All of this is new to us and believe me we are researching more than ever so the right decisions can be made.

Finally, there is NO NEED TO PANIC and clean out the grocery stores putting a burden on others. Eventually, you’ll run out and be in that same boat we are with the basic items we need that are not on the shelf.  THINK, RESEARCH, AND LEARN. We will come up with a better system in the future with what we learn from this event. I want your ideas on how we can do this better in the future. EMAIL me all of your suggestions. Not here on social media. Send me your ideas and suggestions to mike@gcem.org or mhonigsberg@enid.org

HAVE A GREAT DAY!!

MIKE