Community Information Update from Incident Command Team

ICS Objectives

1. Control or limit the community spread of COVID-19.

2. Establish Command Post and identify willing Incident Command Systems trained staff and enable them to act to solve prevention measures.

3. Identify Elderly population and at-risk members.

4. Provide essential services within the community.

5. Provide Public Information on services, actions to stay safe and isolation updates.

6. Work together to serve our community.

7. Communication between groups to use alternative communication instead of face to face

8. Microsoft Teams Tribal software, teleconferences, radios, MiFi devices

9. Water and Wastewater Operators- Protection Gear

Incident Command Emphasis:

1. Community Safety – sheltering In Place Reminders, disinfecting, other Isolation facilities if necessary, travel for necessary items only

2. Obtain PPE Supplies, establish Tribal account number and central contacts for priority ordering and get these protective supplies to all staff in need with supply plan developed

3. Staff Safety, daily temperature readings before work, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), disinfecting work areas,

4. Public Information Tribal President, Incident Commander and Health Center

5. Stay united as a Tribe.

Virtual Command Center: As you know operating face to face is not going to happen with this virus out there. We have adapted to meetings via conference calls and other means to reach our objective. Daily, we hold conference calls with the Incident Command Team, State emergency Operations, Tribal Administrations, Executive Director and Monday, Wednesday Friday morning calls with Tribal Council.

Grants: Health Center, Emergency Management and Tribal side, we are working on obtaining all grant funds available for COVID-19 operations to safeguard our Community.  

Safety Message:

At this time all burning permits have been canceled. This means no debris burning.

1-888-WIS-BURN (947-2876) or the DNR Website, can be used to check updates on burning permits.

These are updated every day at 11 :00 am

Campfires or warming fires are permitted, as long as it is not windy.

Remember, if you do have a campfire or warming fire and the fire embers start a fire, you will be responsible for cost to contain the fire.

When you type in DNR burning restrictions you will be directed to a page that shows the state of Wisconsin, you click on the county you live in or want to burn in and it will say where burning is allowed.

Below is what it shows today 4-2-2020 for Shawano County.

In order to protect the health and safety of the citizens of Wisconsin, we are taking proactive measures by suspending all DNR burning permits until further notice. Therefore, all burning debris in barrels, piles on the ground and grass or wooded areas with annual burning permits in DNR protection areas is prohibited at this time. If the ground is completely snow-covered and will remain so for the duration of the burn, burning permits are not required and burning is allowed at any time. Eliminating ignition sources on the landscape reduces wildfire risk, smoke for vulnerable populations and person-to-person contact. Emergency responders and firefighters have an increased need to take pandemic precautions, so they remain available to continue to protect the public from wildfires and reduce the spread of COVID-19. We appreciate your patience and understanding. Remember to report wildfires by dialing 911 immediately.

When burning permits are no longer canceled, before you burn, you must check to make sure burning is allowed where you plan to burn.

Community members:

1. Make sure you are disinfecting your home/washing your hands.

2. Limit number of guests in your home

3. If someone is sick in your home-do the best you can to isolate this person.

4. Disinfecting your laundry baskets

5. Remember to observe the 6' distance.

6. Stay home or avoid going to places with large groups of people.

People who are at higher risk

1. People aged 65 years and older

2. People who live in a nursing home or long-term care facility

3. People of all ages with underlying medical conditions, particularly if not well controlled, including:

4. People with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma

5. People who have serious heart conditions

6. People who are immune compromised

7. Many conditions can cause a person to be immune compromised, including cancer treatment, smoking, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies, poorly controlled HIV or AIDS, and prolonged use of corticosteroids and other immune weakening medications 8. People with severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 40 or higher)

As mentioned in the Emergency Operations message on March 27, 2020, we can get through this together if we stay together to achieve our Tribal goals