Preparing for worst, hoping for the best

Although there has been no surge in COVID-19 cases in Custer County — or any cases for that matter — that has not stopped a group of first responders and other city and county officials and stakeholders to begin to plan for the worst while hoping for the best.

Earlier this month, an emergency operations center (EOC) was formed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The EOC is an extension of local government run under an incident command format. The EOC   includes operations, planning, logistics, finance, public information, etc., and is operated under delegation of authority of the Custer County Commis-sion, which has authorized the unified command of the EOC, which is county emergency management director Mike Carter and  Custer County Sheriff Marty Mechaley. 

The EOC is a think tank dedicated to dealing with contingency planning for the virus, from everything on how to deal with a sudden large outbreak, how to equip first responders and how to identify and collect personal protective equipment (PPE).

County volunteer fire departments are represented on the EOC, as is Custer County Search and Rescue, Custer Ambulance Service, Monument Health, the county, city of Custer, Custer State Park, Crazy Horse Memorial and other first responder agencies.

Joe Harbach serves as operations section coordinator, while Jim Strain is planning section coordinator. They were brought into the fold for their technical experience on Incident Command Systems, Carter said.

At a meeting two weeks ago, the group discussed a variety of topics, including the possibility of limiting access to the county courthouse. The courthouse is currently closed to the general public, although county employees continue to work there. 

PPE was a big topic of discussion, as some first responder agencies in the county are well-equipped, while others have little or no equipment. To combat that, agencies that have larger amounts of equipment such as masks have been asked to donate some to departments that do not have the equipment. The group felt, between all of the agencies, enough equipment is available to distribute to keep all responders safe when responding to a call.

The group talked about operations if and when someone tests positive for COVID-19 in Custer County. The protocol would include using full PPE when responding, taking in minimal equipment and minimizing contact with the infected person. A call-by-call basis will be used to determine which first responders enter the scene first, which is dependent on where in the county the call is received. All equipment used and the ambulance will be immediately decontaminated after a call, with the goal of minimizeing risk by limiting the agencies involved in any call.

The group discussed safety strategies for when restrictions are lifted and businesses and other areas reopen. Many places have already been closed or limited in how they do business for over a month, which the group believes is a large part of the reason there continues to be no reported cases in Custer County. 

Realizing at some point the businesses will need to reopen, however, the group will continue to meet and plan and offer recommendations for that. However, some in the group cautioned about reopening things too early, as once things are open for the summer, it will be nearly impossible to get them closed again. The group is still operating under Gov. Kristi Noem’s recommendation to keep things closed or restricted until May 31, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC)  guidelines.

Social distancing is making a difference, as models show a lessening of the peak in  South Dakota, which is projected for the middle of June. 

In a release April 15, the state showed a peak much lower than the projected peak of hospitalizations sans no containment or social distancing as well as the old peak based on current actions and strategies. The hospitalization rate is trending lower than 5 percent and closer to 1 to 3 percent if mitigation measures are continued through August. The modeling is ever-evolving, however.

Carter said three things are playing in Custer County’s favor when it comes to the virus, including the low population, restrictions that have been put in place and the voluntary compliance of county citizens to adhere to restrictions. 

Carter lauded the leadership of local physicians, who he said are used for intelligence on the virus. Carter noted the social distancing’s positive impact on influenza A and B, and the importance of keeping residents from being hit by a community outbreak, as Custer County has a large number of retirees and elderly people. That combined with the county’s tourism industry could make the county a hotspot for the disease. Carter gave kudos to the community and its businesses for staying vigilant and following CDC recommendations.

On a recent blog post, Dr. Joy Falkenburg of Monument Health Custer Hospital said just because there are no diagnosed cases does not mean there aren’t any in the area.

“We continue to worry about asymptomatic spread or spread among people with mild symptoms,” Falkenburg said. “We test patients who are feverish, coughing, exposed, hospitalized and/or who need surveillance for one reason or another. The guidelines for testing change frequently and we do have limitations on test kits. It continues to be important to socially distance and follow current guidelines.”

The EOC will meet two to three times a week and will have an immediate emergency meeting if a COVID-19 case is confirmed in the county.  Anyone with questions can send them to tobenauer@custercountysd.com or contact Carter at 440-0709.