I am running around getting plans together for a public awareness campaign including radio PSA’s (which I will post for all to use), newspaper stories, announcements at FB Pep rallies and health / prep day events in town.
The manager of the biggest food store has told me if 100 families shop for a 2 week supply, he will sell out in 1 hour and there will be a riot in the store. and it is a BIG store.
So i am planning a meeting of the mangers of the 2 food markets, hardware store, pharmacy and chamber of commerce (COC first meeting tomorrow) as well as inviting the big food distribution company that serves the entire tri state area. We need to discuss just how many families can buy how much in what time frame without crashing the supply system.
We will hopefully meet at Town hall with the Police Chief and First Selectman and possibly the entire Emergency management team.
I am thinking maybe a shrink as well… (for me? LOL) to help us with the psychological effects.
Goju, I admire all your efforts. One word of caution, however. You need to have a focused purpose and concrete goals for these meetings. If you start rounding up the cavalry and half of them walk away thinking, “Why did I need to attend that meeting?” you won’t get them to come back for a second meeting. It is probably a good idea to have some meetings where all key players cross-pollinate ideas and update on the status of their respective area of expertise. Good luck, and thanks for keeping us all up to date on what’s happening with your efforts.
I back up EMs admiration but also her word of caution. Maybe this meeting will just address COC/supply/distrubution concerns. You might bring the mental health practitioner in at a different time.
FYI the MHPs- You’ll probably have much better luck getting a therapist on board than a psychitrist, and even then, good luck with that! (THey tend to be incredably overworked) Your best bet (IMO) would be to approach a community MH center i.e.- one State/Federally funded rather than a private practioner. Private praticioners generally focus on one aspect-say family counciling/alchohol addiction/etc. Community MHPs deal with whoever walks through the door. In my state (KY) community MHPs are much more likely to be First Responders in a disaster than private practice therapists.
Best of luck with your meetings! You go, ju!
Goju-
Echo concerns of others above. You may find it productive to frame the discussions along a “what-if” basis……..
The surge capacity in hospitals in North America is analogous to a hypothetical war between the USA and Canada…
…starts at 5 minutes to nine…at the after game tea by nine.
If you address surge capacity all you have to do is ask who’s been to the ED lately and had to wait and maybe end up in a pediatric unit because of bed space issues. Hospitals tell adult patients they are safe on Pedi units, but there is a huge difference in drug dosages, IV fluid calculations, and emergency cart supplies. Plus, kids cry at night and play video games. This is one example of how crowded hospitals are because the majority have moved to private rooms and not semi private rooms. They can’t just put two beds back in to make semiprivate because those beds are gone! Surge capacity is a joke and I no longer discuss it. It won’t happen unless they lay towels on the floors and call them beds. BTW, Good Luck!
i am not concerning myself with Hospital and health care surge capacity - perhaps I should have been a little more clear in the thread title.
I hear ya’ll about being careful. I am building a base of support and have to play all the participants just right… we need to work as a team for the good of all.
Goju - as I’m near by, could I possibly attend? I am still figuring out what/how I can play a role in building awareness and taking action. DH and I also both have food/retail backgrounds, although more from a marketing standpoint. Don’t know if that’d be helpful or not. Don’t want to step on any toes!
Keep up the great work! You inspired me to contact several local papers, boards of ed and 1st selectman. We’ll see where it goes but I feel better having done more - I had tried to convince friends and neighbors but it has not gone far. Maybe if they see covereage/action committees on a local level they’ll pay more attention.
BTW - I did a sheet of scenarios of infection/cfr figures for the state, the big counties and several towns to demonstrate the possible impact. It’s pretty scary for a small state an even our little town. If you want it I can pass it your way.
yes please
LauraB - I’ve left the contact info for the people I know in Redding and Easton that might be interested in joining in a community effort with Goju’s at his contact website wiltonresident1@yahoo.com. Both are homeschool moms, and each could not be different from the other, but both are concerned and would be valuable allies.
Closed to maintain Forum speed.