Greenwich First Selectman
October 16, 2014
With this most recent outbreak of the Ebola virus and confirmed cases in the United States and today a possible case in the City of New Haven, I have asked the Town’s Director of Health to convene a meeting of our Town’s first responders, hospital representatives and other agency representatives charged with addressing public health issues.
The purpose of this meeting is:
to review the most up to date protocols from the Center for Disease Control and the State of Connecticut Department of Health and what local measures can be taken to strengthen preparedness for the Ebola virus to ensure all our first responders have received their annual N95 mask fitting. “All health care workers and individuals in any health care fields are either required or strongly recommended to be mask fit tested to prevent the spread of airborne infectious diseases. Mask fit testing consists of ensuring that an N95 respirator mask fits properly to your individual facial structure. The process of mask fit testing consists of education, training, and testing of a specific N95 respirator. The health care provider is evaluated for the ability to taste a bitter solution and is asked to perform a series of simple exercises to ensure that no leaks are present around the mask. This process takes approximately 15 minutes.”
to discuss enacting the measures granted by order of the Governor of the State of Connecticut which gives the Commissioner of the Public Health Department the authority to quarantine and isolate an individual or group of individuals whom they reasonably believe has been exposed to the Ebola virus or infected with the Ebola virus. The order was executed as a precautionary and preparatory measure in the event that the state has either a confirmed infection or has confirmed someone at risk of developing the infection is residing in the state.
The Director of Health has classified this meeting as a working group and attendance is limited to those invited. She will provide a summary upon its conclusion.
Peter J. Tesei
First Selectman
Town of Greenwich