County looks to state for guidance

SHAWANO — Shawano County is looking to the state of Wisconsin for direction and possible help during the COVID-19 crisis, Emergency Manager Jim Davel reported Thursday.

“This is a health emergency, so the health department is leading this effort,” he said.

Davel said he is relying on the state Department of Health Services for directives on procuring supplies for long term care facilities, hospitals, in-home care workers, and emergency personnel.

As of Thursday, there were no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Shawano County, he said, noting that information on COVID-19 patients is handled by the health department and posted by county on the state DHS page, https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/outbreaks/index.htm.

At the moment, he said, there is “no problem with first responders where masks and gloves are concerned. We have enough as it stands now.”

Davel said the concept of “flattening the curve” is important because of the availability of hospital beds and supplies statewide. Emergency personnel continue to be called for non-virus emergencies, he said, and the virus will only add to the demand.

“You only have so many hospital beds between the state,” he said. “We still have normal events, numerous calls to ambulances, fire, deputies. We are very busy with a normal load.”

If emergency responders get ill or quarantined, he said, the county would have to look to the state for replacements.

“You can’t go to Walmart and pull one off the shelves,” he said. “You can’t just produce a deputy.”

Davel said the lack of internet in some rural areas was not a concern for his department.

“Nobody uses the internet to call 911,” he said.

Emergency operations are coordinated through county managers, he said, without a formal incident command center established. Whether or not a more formal structure is needed will depend on whether the virus spreads into the county.

“As things develop we look every single day,” he said.

The daily meeting includes Brent Miller, administrative coordinator for Shawano County, Davel said.

Despite the changes in how things are getting done, Miller said, he wants the public to know that the county is operating.

He said he wants the county to represent “calm and stability,” for county residents.

This includes limited access to the courthouse, Miller said. The courthouse remains open but the public is asked to do as much online or by phone as possible, and to make an appointment if something needs to be done in person.

“We’re asking to call ahead and limit contact with other people,” he said.

He said the health department follows up on potential contacts to make sure that if a case is suspected, anyone who had had contact with the patient is notified.

Courts have limited schedules, but state law requires that some cases, such as mental health commitments, must be heard within a certain time frame.

A secure drop box for child support and tax payment is available behind the courthouse, he said. No cash is being accepted but checks can be placed in it. It is emptied hourly, he noted.

He said that, in addition to the daily meeting with county managers, he has been in contact with other area counties through electronic conferencing.

Some services, he noted, are being continued using new schedules. The highway department crews, who used to meet together before a shift, are now rotating schedules and limiting each shift to 10 individuals.

“What makes sense in our county isn’t the same as others. We have 72 counties and 72 differences. I’d like it to be one template that works for everyone, but it isn’t,” he said.

cryczek@newmedia-wi.com