Advisory: Ogden Dunes virtual Town Hall meeting on Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic

Dear Mike Paine,March 24, 2020

To: Ogden Dunes Community

RE: Ogden Dunes virtual Town Hall meeting on Novel Coronavirus
(COVID-19) Pandemic

The Ogden Dunes Town Council, Ogden Dunes Police Department, and Ogden Dunes Fire Department will host a virtual Town Hall online meeting at 6:00 pm tomorrow evening, Wednesday, March 25, 2020.

Join virtual Town Hall online via Zoom meeting at:
https://niesc.zoom.us/j/359459438
Meeting ID: 359 459 438

One tap on mobile phone:
+13126266799,,359459438# US (Chicago)

Telephone dial-in:
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
Meeting ID: 359 459 438

Join by Skype for Business
https://niesc.zoom.us/skype/359459438

Watch Facebook live stream via Ogden Dunes Fire Department page.

There continues to be lots of information on this novel coronavirus (COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2) disease pandemic. Today, Porter County an nounced two (2) confirmed positive COVID-19 cases; that are in at-home quarantine. This virus is highly pathogenic and spreads between people (human-to-human) very efficiently though close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) and through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths, noses, or eyes of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.

Yesterday, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb issues Executive Order 20-08 ordering everyone in the State of Indiana to “Stay at Home” except for certain circumstances; here is the link to the order https://www.in.gov/gov/files/Executive_Order_20-08_Stay_at_Home.pdf.

Here are reliable sources of information on COVID-19:

•Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/
•Indiana State Department of Health
www.in.gov/coronavirus/
•Porter County Health Department
www.porte rco.org/coronavirus

General community preparedness:
•Sign-up for ALERT Porter County and Smart911
www.portercounty911.org/alert.htm
•Review Ready.gov to empower people to prepare for, respond to and mitigate emergencies through public involvement.
www.ready.gov
•Review the Town of Ogden Dunes Emergency Planning Guide (updated)
http://ogdendunes.in.gov/files/3815/8505/4723/Emergency_Management_Plan_Rev_3.20.pdf

Reach out to neighbors, friends, family, and the elderly – while maintaining social distancing; as this novel coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, the advice is clear: stay away from other people; stay at home. Even those who are asymptomatic risk infecting others – endangering lives of older adults or anyone who is immunocompromised.

Ogden Dunes is a socially cohesive community; physical check-ins should be replaced by telephone calls, emails, or text messages, which are best to protect our older a dults unfamiliar with video chatting apps like Skype or FaceTime. Reach out to those who may need assistance. Now is the time to reach out to family, friends or neighbors who may be vulnerable, even if face-to-face contact isn’t advisable. Let those in need know assistance is available.

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”
-Henry Ford

Thank you.

Regards,
Eric Kurtz, Fire Chief