| 10/7/2009 5:05:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article | Maplewood working with metro cities on H1N1 plan
Derrick Knutson
Review staff
Maplewood Fire Chief Steve Lukin presented the Maplewood City Council with a metro-wide plan that Maplewood has been working on, in accordance with other metro cities, to address a possible H1N1 pandemic.
Lukin detailed some specifics from a Metro Region EMS System Pandemic Plan that he said will serve as the document for cities to turn to if cases of H1N1 escalate.
He explained that about a month and a half ago, he asked each city department to provide him with information on what would happen if those departments had a 40 percent reduction in their staff.
From there, a plan was put in place that details what services can be temporarily discontinued, and which ones are essential to city operations.
"We feel we're in fairly decent shape," he told the council Sept. 28. "We feel we'll be able to cross-use some of our employees in other areas to be able to make sure that we function well. Unless it gets too terrible and really goes under for us, we feel we'll be able to continue the services we provide."
The main concern, Lukin said, with a possible H1N1 pandemic is an increased amount of 911 calls, and the subsequent stress it could cause emergency service providers.
He said a plan has been formulated to route the calls involving the flu to an auxiliary number so 911 services wouldn't be bogged down with a large influx of people who think they might have H1N1.
"You'll place your call to a 911 center, then you'll be transferred to another number, so you don't take up the basic portions of the 911 center," he said. "They will triage you further to determine if this is symptoms of the pandemic or the flu symptoms, or if this is a life threatening-area."
He said emergency service providers for the metro area have planned for a scenario where there could be a 10 to 15 percent rise in 911 call volume.
The fire chief also said the formation of a metro strike force has been discussed to deal with a possible pandemic.
"That is having a couple ambulances staffed with the right amount of people that would be ready to move in any part of the metro area if that area gets inundated with a number of calls," he said. "We're going to work this as a very fluid-type of program. Whatever city needs the help, that's where we're going to put those additional bodies that we have from the other agencies."
Lukin stressed that the preparations were for a "worst case" scenario, and the chances of that happening are not likely.
He said people who contract H1N1 and have manageable symptoms are encouraged to stay home so area hospitals do not become overrun with patients who don't need to be there.
Vaccine on the way
According to the Center for Disease Control Web site, most people who have become ill with H1N1 recover without requiring medical treatment.
An Oct. 1 press release from the Minnesota Department of Health stated that 150 million doses of the H1N1 could be available within the next few weeks.
Pregnant women, people who care for children younger than 6 months of age, heath care personnel, people ages 6 months to 24 years and those with chronic health disorders have the highest risk of contracting the disease, according to the press release.
At the meeting, City Council member John Nephew expressed his concern about people who are not ill with H1N1 contracting the virus by going to hospitals inundated with H1N1 patients. He asked Lukin if there was a way for patients to decide if they should go to the hospital after exhibiting symptoms.
"If you go to the Minnesota Department of Health site, they will give you some basic things to look at," Lukin said in response to Nephew's query. "It's fever, cough, sore throat and there's a basic criteria to look at."
He added that the CDC Web site has some "great information" to look at for those concerned about H1N1.
Derrick Knutson can be reached at dknutson@lillienews.com or at (651) 748-7825.
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