By CHRISTINE HAINES
First responders throughout the region are looking forward to receiving better information in the future regarding COVID-19 cases in their jurisdictions.
The state Senate this week passed a bill that now goes to the House and would require that 911 communication centers, police, fire and other first responders receive notification when a documented communicable disease is reported in their municipality.
State Sen. Jim Brewster, D-McKeesport, said the bill would mandate that the secretary of health or a local health official notify local 911 call centers, law enforcement, fire personnel, emergency medical services and others within 24 hours of receiving information about a confirmed case of a communicable disease during a health emergency.
The bill also would require health care providers and nursing home administrators to report cases of communicable diseases during health emergencies to the local health board or state Department of Health. The local agencies that receive the notification would be required to keep the information confidential.
State Rep. Bud Cook, R-West Pike Run Township, said he expects the bill to come before the House within the next two weeks and he anticipates broad support. Cook said the bill makes sense.
“Absolutely they should share the information. In fact, I think they should share a lot more information,” he said.
Cook said it is necessary for the protection of emergency responders.
“They’re on the front lines. They’re no different than doctors and nurses, so they have to follow the protocols,” Cook said.
State Rep. Mike Puskaric, R-Finleyville, said the proposed legislation is limited in scope, so it protects patient privacy.
“They’re almost creating a database of properties that have been exposed to COVID-19. It’s very limited. I think that will put some folks at ease,” said Puskaric, who also anticipates the House to consider the bill within the next few weeks with broad support. “The first responders are really on the front line of things and we’re asking them to do some pretty spectacular things.”
Because Allegheny County has its own health department, the 911 dispatchers there are providing information about known COVID-19 cases to first responders.
“It comes up on a case-by-case basis. It will come up on the computer-aided dispatch system,” said Bill Miller, the Emergency Medical Services chief and emergency management coordinator for McKeesport.
Miller said making it a state law would help close the information gaps that may occur and would mirror the Ryan White Act adopted in 2009 at the federal level that requires notification to emergency responders if they are exposed by victims of emergencies to potential life-threatening infectious diseases.
Miller said by knowing in advance that crews are responding to a scene where there is an active COVID-19 case, they can add goggles or full face masks and surgical gowns to their protective equipment, going beyond N95 masks and gloves.
Elizabeth borough fire Chief Chad Rager said getting the information upon dispatch helps tremendously, but the extra layer of protection that would be provided by making it law would be appreciated.
“At least we’d know what we’re going into,” Rager said. “Our 911 dispatchers are asking about that now, so we know what the situation is.
“Allegheny County is doing a great job of keeping us informed. You can see that it’s working out. We’ve only had two EMS members in our area infected so far. We’re keeping the numbers down in our area.”
Monessen fire Chief Delmar Hepple said he would love to have the information the proposed law would provide. Dispatch doesn’t take medical information on fire calls and he said he has yet to see any call information saying the house his crews were responding to may involve COVID-19.
“We usually get 20 calls a month. We’re up to 32 calls a month now. There are more automatic fire alarms. We’re going into a lot more homes now,” Hepple said. “We have gloves and N95 masks on all the trucks, but you run out quick.”
Charleroi fire Chief Robert Whiten Jr. said first responders in Washington County don’t have a database of information to work with because the county doesn’t have its own health department, though 911 dispatchers are doing their best to get as much information as possible on each call.
Whiten said the proposed law could save more than just first responders’ lives.
“We’re all volunteers here in Charleroi and all my guys have families and jobs. If one of my guys goes into a place and gets infected, they could take it home or to their coworkers. That’s how this disease spreads,” Whiten said.
Whiten said he doesn’t need the names of the patients, just the locations, so responders can wear the appropriate gear.
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