The Butler County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) met for their quarterly meeting on Thursday, October 15th at the El Dorado Civic Center. In addition to the election of Officers for 2021 and setting the meeting schedule for the upcoming year, a COVID-19 Pandemic Review was held. This was the first meeting the committee was able to hold since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
“One thing we like to do after a disaster is an after action review where we sit down and look at how we responded to the disaster.” said Keri Korthals, Director for Butler County Emergency Management.
The LEPC was able to gather, in a safe and socially distant manner, and had the unique opportunity to hold an after action review while the action is still happening.
LEPC member/partners shared challenges, successes and lessons learned.
“Because this disaster has been so protracted and going on for so long, we don’t want to wait too long to start having those conversations,” said Korthals.
The discussion included a review of the challenges, successes and lessons learned in the past seven months.
Each county in Kansas is expected to have a LEPC, consisting of emergency response agencies, hospitals, industries, and community groups.
Some of an LEPC’s primary responsibilities include:
Preparing and regularly reviewing their jurisdiction’s Emergency Operations; plan, as well as coordinating training exercises for stakeholders on the Plan; collecting information on hazardous materials stored throughout the county; analyzing potential risks to the community; evaluating the adequacy of warning systems and evacuation procedures (as they relate to hazardous material spills / releases); and promoting the community’s right-to-know law to the public and providing educational materials / resources to the community.
The Butler County LEPC is comprised from representatives from the following organizations:
American Red Cross
Andover Fire and Rescue
Barton Solvents
Board of County Commissioners
Butler Community College
Butler County Community Development
Butler County Conservation District
Butler County Emergency Management
Butler County EMS
Butler County Landfill
Butler County GIS
Butler County Health Department
Butler County Sheriff’s Office
Butler County School Superintendents / USD 394
City of Rose Hill / Rose Hill Police Dept
DaVita Andover Dialysis
El Dorado Correctional Facility / Dept of Corrections
A ‘Can Do’ attitude helped to engage our nation during World War II when there was a shortage of workers to support the war effort. That same attitude is what is needed now to help support the frontline heroes battling coronavirus and COVID-19, the disease it causes.
The Marion County Emergency Management Director, Randy Frank, has created an initiative designed to do just. In order to help him get his message out, he has called back into service an original “Rosie the Riveter” Virginia Ball of El Dorado, Kansas. His goal with this campaign is to encourage all Kansans to practice safe social distancing and wear a protective mask while in public.
“There is a plan in place, as established by Governor Kelly, to help us carefully move back to our previous routines,” said Frank.
Frank reached out to Ball, better known by her moniker “Rosie the Riveter,” to help lead the campaign for a safe and healthy transition.
Randy Frank and Virginia Ball hope to encourage all Kansans to do their part to fight the spread of COVID-19.
As Kansas nears the end of Phase 1, and transitions into Phase 2 of the Governor’s plan to reopen the state, more restrictions will be lifted but Kansans need to be diligent in order to reach the goal of flattening the curve and preventing any further outbreaks.
“Our biggest challenge is patience,” Ball said. “But Kansans have shown that they are willing to do what is necessary when times are tough. Together, ‘We Can Do It!’”
“I think the ‘Can Do’ attitude is in all of us. That attitude will help us as we move into our new normal,” said Ball.
In response to Governor Kelly‘s Executive Order to “temporarily prohibit mass gatherings to limit the spread of COVID-19,” and to mirror the preventative actions being taken by the State of Kansas, the Butler County Commissioners held a special meeting on Thursday, March 19 , at 8 AM to discuss the adoption of a Public Health Emergency Declaration and closure of Butler County facilities to the public beginning Monday, March 23rd through, Friday, April 3rd.
County Administrator Will Johnson stated, “With the closure of State offices, school closures and the expansion of travel restrictions occurring after the County Commission meeting on Tuesday, it has become necessary for Butler County to adopt a Public Health Declaration allowing the County flexibility to provide the essential and necessary services required of County Government. The County Commission continues to be committed to the health and safety of our employees and citizens, along with delivery services necessary to carry Butler County through this crisis.”
Butler County Emergency Management Director, Keri Korthals, speaking to the commission about the need for the Public Health Declaration.Meeting attendees sat with respect to the social distancing guidelines.
Essential services will be provided by appointment only. During the meeting, the Motor Vehicle tag office was cited as not being considered an essential service.
The Butler County Courthouse is among the public facilities to be closed to the public March 23rd through April 3rd.
Also, discussed was protocol for employees affected by a limited shutdown because of the pandemic. Primary among the concern is childcare for essential staff. “Family First” is the motto shared by Johnson.
Johnson said “Childcare for staff will be provided in some fashion by the county.”
According to Jamie Downs, Director of Public Health, the number of available childcare workers in the county is down 733 providers with the coronavirus outbreak.
Johnson informed the Commissioners that employees are mandated by the state to quarantine immediately upon return from international locations and cruise ship travel as well as California, Colorado, Florida, New York and Washington. This currently affects three Butler County employees.
Board of Commissioners discussing the resolution presented by County Administrator Will Johnson.
Additionally, Johnson said fearful employees considered “non-essential staff” will be allowed to take this time off.
The Motor Vehicle office is one of the non-essential offices to be closed to the public. All essential business will be conducted by appointment to limit the number of gathered individuals.
Commission meetings will also be closed to the public but will be available through live stream on the Butler County website (www.bucoks.com) to comply with Kansas Open Meetings Act.
The one confirmed case of COVID-19 in Butler County, along with two exposed individuals have been quarantined and are being monitored by the Butler County Health Department.
In a recent report by the National Institute of Health (NIH), many have wondered if they couldn’t simply protect themselves by avoiding people with symptoms of respiratory illness.
“Unfortunately, the answer is no,” the report went on to state, “A new study shows that simply avoiding symptomatic people will not go far enough to curb the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s because researchers have discovered that many individuals can carry the novel coronavirus without showing any of the typical symptoms of COVID-19: fever, dry cough, and shortness of breath. But these asymptomatic or only mildly ill individuals can still shed virus and infect others.
“This conclusion adds further weight to the recent guidance from U.S. public health experts: what we need most right now to slow the stealthy spread of this new coronavirus is a full implementation of social distancing. What exactly does social distancing mean? Well, for starters, it is recommended that people stay at home as much as possible, going out only for critical needs like groceries and medicines, or to exercise and enjoy the outdoors in wide open spaces. Other recommendations include avoiding gatherings of more than 10 people, no handshakes, regular handwashing, and, when encountering someone outside of your immediate household, trying to remain at least 6 feet apart.”
With journal studies, as well as evidence from asymptomatic patients testing positive for COVID-19, proving it is possible to test positive for Covid-19 without symptoms, it is unethical to act otherwise.
While there is no need to panic, this reality underscores the need to strictly adhere to social distancing, self quarantine and increased diligence to personal hygiene for the welfare of public health. It is necessary. It is about saving lives and protecting loved ones. We must all take it seriously.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) and tests are currently restricted to medical personnel, first responders those who are symptomatic or known to be exposed to positive cases. This is due to the low number of supplies available.
The Butler County Health Department does not have test kits. All testing is currently being done at the state level.
While there may be no testing done on asymptomatic individuals who have no known contact with a positive case, there is still room for the virus to travel freely for weeks unknown.
Cavalier or dismissive attitudes do not change the facts. Ignorance in this case is not bliss. We are in a critical time and to establish and enforce strict safety measures in order to get ahead of the virus and help contain this pandemic.
Alternatively, running to stores and clearing shelves of food and supplies, including toilet paper, has increased the hysteria and panic. This behavior only serves to perpetuate the fear surrounding the coronavirus, as well as preventing people who need to purchase basic necessities from having access.
Using common sense, thinking of your fellow man and following the guidelines established by national, state, local authorities will help us stay ahead of the virus. In six months, we are going to look back at this time and say, “We overreacted” or “We didn’t do enough.”
The resolution, approved 4-1 with Myers in opposition, recommends the following:
Recommended no gatherings greater than fifty (50) people through May 10th, or until the situation changes, in line with CDC recommendations.
Recommended the County Administrator follow KDHE & CDC protocols for recommendations related to County services and employees.
Encouraged County residents to utilize web-based or mail-in services instead of visiting
County facilities in person.
Cancelled all 4H Building rentals along with activities through May 10th.
Cancelled the Department on Aging’s Spring Fling event in May.
Cancelled all Commissioner Senior Center visitations and luncheons through May.
Cancelled all out of state travel through May 10th.
Required County employees to quarantine for fourteen (14) days if they had traveled to any restricted areas, as outlined by the CDC.
Restricted County employee personal travel to CDC restricted areas.
Discontinued any new vacation requests for Public Safety employees or critical essential employees (Health, Sheriff, 911, EMS, Emergency Management).
Keri Korthal, Director of Emergency Management, appeared before the Board of Butler County Commissioners on Tuesday, May 28th to request an extension of the Disaster Declaration due to the fact that Butler County experienced another round of heavy rainfall and stormy weather.
Photo by Chad Wittenberg
The state has established the dates of April 28 and ongoing, at this time, to ensure everything possible is included before they go forward with a Presidential Declaration. There is already an estimated $2 million in damages from the first wave of storms.
The Commission voted to approve the extension for another seven (7) days.
With the announcement that President Trump approved Governor Kelly’s request for a disaster declaration, Director Keri Korthals and the Emergency Management team is starting to field questions about what that means for Butler County, and unfortunately, the information that’s out there is a little sparse at the moment; other than the message that Butler County is included. So, Korthals shares with us what it means. “Does it indicate that FEMA funds will begin flowing into our county to repair roads and rebuild houses? Well, no, not exactly.”
Photo by Chad Wittenberg
According to Korthals, “There are actually two types of declarations that our Governor can request for our state’s current situation: an Emergency Declaration (the one Kansas received) and a Major Disaster Declaration (the one that’s often referred to as a ‘Presidential Disaster Declaration’).”
“An Emergency Declaration,” states Korthals, “provides federal money for those immediate life/health/public safety activities that jurisdictions have been (and are still) conducting: sandbagging, performing water rescues or search and rescue, barricading roads, opening emergency shelters, clearing hazardous debris. It won’t do anything that’s considered a longer-term fix, i.e. rebuilding a road or repairing a flood damaged building.”
Additionally, “The Kansas Division of Emergency Management (KDEM) has been meeting with all of the counties that have been impacted by this month’s storms and flooding, and they’re collecting the facts and figures that would support a Major Disaster Declaration. They have already visited Butler County and gotten our information, but last we heard, they were still working their way through their massive list of locally-declared counties. When all their information has been compiled, then Governor Kelly can make a decision on requesting a Major Disaster Declaration.”
Korthals advises, “Be aware that these declarations sometimes only provide for road/bridge/building/infrastructure help for governments, like cities and townships, not private citizens. Definitely check the fine print.”
Butler County announced they recently filled two critical Department Head positions within Butler County. Keri Korthals has been promoted to fill the vacancy of Emergency Management Director for Butler County. Ms. Korthals has been with Butler County serving as the Deputy Director of Emergency Management, and recently as the Interim Director of Emergency Management after the retirement of longtime Director Jim Schmidt. Will Johnson, County Administrator, stated “Ms. Korthals brings a wealth of experience and lots of energy to the position and we look forward to her taking the Department to the next level.” Ms. Korthals was appointed to the position last month and the County is actively seeking to fill the position she vacated.
Frank Williams has accepted the position of Emergency Medical Services Director. Mr. Williams is currently the Program and EMS Director for LifeTeam/LifeSave and brings a wealth of experience to the position. Mr. Williams began his career in EMS in 1988 as a Paramedic with Butler County before moving to the Air Ambulance service in 2001, where he has worked since. Mr. Williams was named the 2018 Administrator of the year by the Kansas EMS Association (KEMSA). He has also served as the Chief of the Butler County Rescue Squad as a volunteer since 1988. Butler County Administrator Will Johnson said, “We are pleased to be able to announce we are bringing one of our own back to Butler County, to serve as our next EMS Director. Mr. Williams brings great experience and leadership to the position and will continue to build upon the great reputation our Department has not only in Kansas but nationally as well.” Mr. Williams will start with the County on March 11th.
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