By CORINNE BOYER, <a href="https://www.hppr.org/post/rural-kansas-ambulance-crews-will-be-doubly-strained-coronavirus">Kansas News Service</a>

GARDEN CITY — The Finney County Emergency 
Medical Service department, with its staff of 23, is conserving its N95 
masks and only using them when a patient is positive for COVID-19. Like 
large hospitals, U.S. cities and entire European countries, rural EMS 
workers aren’t shielded from the medical supply shortage.&nbsp;

And 
that’s just one of the challenges rural EMS agencies across Kansas stare
 down as COVID-19 is being confirmed in their communities. They’re 
stretched thin, covering hundreds of miles, and seeing the ripple 
effects from the pandemic that’s shut down communities — something 
emergency plans hadn’t accounted for.&nbsp;

All of Kansas’ 105 
counties have mutual aid agreements: If fire or EMS departments need 
backup, other counties step in to assist. Those may be the support that 
holds emergency services together in the coming months.&nbsp;

There 
are more than 1,300 licensed volunteer EMS workers in Kansas, making up 
nearly 14% of the state's EMS workforce, according to Joe House, the 
executive director of the Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services.

It’s
 something that’s on the mind of Andy Gienapp, the president-elect of 
the National Association of State EMS Officials and Wyoming’s state EMS 
director.&nbsp;

“How far can we push them to continue to donate their 
services to a major aspect of health care?” he said. “EMS is the only 
segment of health care that relies so heavily upon a volunteer 
workforce.”

In Louisiana, rural EMS workers may run out of 
personal protective equipment this week. Considering the number of cases
 continues to rise in the state — more than 6,400 as of April 2 — the 
situation is critical, said Donna Newchurch, CEO for the Louisiana Rural
 Ambulance Alliance.&nbsp;

“In some rural communities EMS is the only 
health care system,” Newchurch said. “In some parishes in Louisiana, 
there’s no hospital at all, and when the (federally qualified health 
center) closes or the rural health clinic closes or the doctor’s office 
closes, EMS is the entire health care system.”

Every parish that can spare an ambulance has sent them to areas of the state in need, she added.

Already
 in rural Kansas, an ambulance ride for a patient with a critical 
condition can take several hours. In Finney County, one ambulance is 
dedicated to transporting people up to 250 miles away, but the Service 
Director of Finney County EMS, Skylar Swords, said it requires staff to 
leave the county.&nbsp;

“I don't have a dedicated transfer team. So 
when we do take a transfer, even before all this happened, and then we 
go down one ambulance,” Swords said. “Now that that all is subject to 
change — fortunately I don't have any staff issues right now.”

Before Finney County had a confirmed case of <a href="https://kdhe.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/05f4169dc6394aa98895072b94734134" target="_blank">COVID-19</a>, 911 dispatchers were asking patients a series of questions before an ambulance arrived.&nbsp;

Swords
 said if patients hadn’t traveled and didn’t have a fever or cough, EMS 
workers would wear standard personal protective equipment. EMS workers 
will only wear N95 masks if the patient tests positive for COVID-19.

“We
 have to just trust that people are being honest with us and ... PPE is 
very limited,” Swords said. “Right now … 95 masks and the gowns are 
extremely difficult to procure.”

After Sept. 11, Swords said efforts were made to store personal protective gear. But those stockpiles are outdated.

“If
 I have 10,000 masks, and I’m throwing 10,000 masks away every five 
years or something like that because they’re outdated, then …&nbsp; that’s 
just a financial waste,” he said. “So we’re trying to find solutions 
that will help us be prepared in the moment without just constantly 
throwing stuff away.”&nbsp;

Because fewer people live in rural 
communities, a community taxbase doesn’t always provide enough funding 
for EMS departments. Low wages can often push EMS workers into 
better-paying health care jobs.

“We do lose a lot of quality technicians to the nursing field because of pay usually,” Swords said.

When
 more EMS workers are needed, people will step up, House said. He said 
one measure will allow medics with expired certifications to work for up
 to 30 days.

“I've got 140 people willing to deploy anywhere in 
the state, to assist services (and) maintain that crucial staffing that 
(EMS) need(s,” House said.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Gienapp added that 
there’s an overall lack of federal funding for emergency medical 
services. After 9/11, a lot of that aid went to police and fire 
departments.&nbsp;

“The evidence of that shows up now,” he said, “and I
 don’t think we did everything we could have as a nation to prepare our 
nation’s emergency medical system to be ready to handle something like 
COVID-19.”

Swords agreed, saying that statewide, plans aren’t where they need to be.

“I
 guess the benefits, if you want to call it that, of this pandemic is 
we’re getting some real world experience with these plans.” he said.&nbsp;

In addition to concerns over adequate supplies and EMS technicians, COVID-19 is taking a toll on rural hospitals.&nbsp;

Dr.
 Ronald Robinson, who is the CEO of hospitals in Atwood and Goodland, 
said routine surgeries and visits are suspended, which means it has lost
 revenue.&nbsp;

“If you have an office visit, we’ll bill the insurance
 company,” Robinson said. “So, the cash actually doesn’t show up for us 
for a month and half.”&nbsp;

Robinson said the Goodland hospital has 
enough cash to operate through Aug. 23. He added in an email:&nbsp; “We're 
not going to allow the hospital to run out of cash, and are taking 
aggressive steps to bring our expenses in line with our revenues.”

And
 when patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms need hospitalization, it'll
 increase the stress on rural hospitals. Approximately half of the 
counties in the U.S. do not have <a href="https://khn.org/news/as-coronavirus-spreads-widely-millions-of-older-americans-live-in-counties-with-no-icu-beds/#lookup" target="_blank">ICU beds</a>.&nbsp;

That’s
 the case in Wilson County in southeast Kansas. It has just 15 beds and 
one ventilator. Once those are full and it’s ventilator is in use, 
patients will need to be treated at larger hospitals.&nbsp;

“We’re 
also having to work with our local EMS agency because they may be 
transporting some of these patients as they come in to get them trained 
and up to speed on taking ventilated patients to other facilities if we 
have to do that,” said Joseph Meier, a physician at Wilson Medical 
Center. “Which is just adding to all of the stuff that we’re having to 
prepare for down here.”&nbsp;

Corinne Boyer covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter<a href="https://kannews.slack.com/team/UFFCS11T5">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://twitter.com/Corinne_Boyer" target="_blank">@Corinne</a><a href="https://twitter.com/Corinne_Boyer" target="_blank">_boyer</a> or email cboyer@hppr.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585853561992.png" alt=" Finney County EMS staffs three ambulances and is dedicating an additional ambulance for COVID-19 patients. Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Finney County EMS staffs three ambulances and is dedicating an additional ambulance for COVID-19 patients. Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By CORINNE BOYER, <a href="https://www.hppr.org/post/rural-kansas-ambulance-crews-will-be-doubly-strained-coronavirus">Kansas News Service</a>GARDEN CITY — The Finney County Emergency 
Medical Service department, with its staff of 23, is conserving its N95 
masks and only using them when a patient is positive for COVID-19. Like 
large hospitals, U.S. cities and entire European countries, rural EMS 
workers aren’t shielded from the medical supply shortage.&nbsp;And 
that’s just one of the challenges rural EMS agencies across Kansas stare
 down as COVID-19 is being confirmed in their communities. They’re 
stretched thin, covering hundreds of miles, and seeing the ripple 
effects from the pandemic that’s shut down communities — something 
emergency plans hadn’t accounted for.&nbsp;All of Kansas’ 105 
counties have mutual aid agreements: If fire or EMS departments need 
backup, other counties step in to assist. Those may be the support that 
holds emergency services together in the coming months.&nbsp;There 
are more than 1,300 licensed volunteer EMS workers in Kansas, making up 
nearly 14% of the state's EMS workforce, according to Joe House, the 
executive director of the Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services.It’s
 something that’s on the mind of Andy Gienapp, the president-elect of 
the National Association of State EMS Officials and Wyoming’s state EMS 
director.&nbsp;“How far can we push them to continue to donate their 
services to a major aspect of health care?” he said. “EMS is the only 
segment of health care that relies so heavily upon a volunteer 
workforce.”In Louisiana, rural EMS workers may run out of 
personal protective equipment this week. Considering the number of cases
 continues to rise in the state — more than 6,400 as of April 2 — the 
situation is critical, said Donna Newchurch, CEO for the Louisiana Rural
 Ambulance Alliance.&nbsp;“In some rural communities EMS is the only 
health care system,” Newchurch said. “In some parishes in Louisiana, 
there’s no hospital at all, and when the (federally qualified health 
center) closes or the rural health clinic closes or the doctor’s office 
closes, EMS is the entire health care system.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585853628156.png" alt=" Skylar Swords is the service director of Finney County's Emergency Medical Services. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Skylar Swords is the service director of Finney County's Emergency Medical Services. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>Every parish that can spare an ambulance has sent them to areas of the state in need, she added.Already
 in rural Kansas, an ambulance ride for a patient with a critical 
condition can take several hours. In Finney County, one ambulance is 
dedicated to transporting people up to 250 miles away, but the Service 
Director of Finney County EMS, Skylar Swords, said it requires staff to 
leave the county.&nbsp;“I don't have a dedicated transfer team. So 
when we do take a transfer, even before all this happened, and then we 
go down one ambulance,” Swords said. “Now that that all is subject to 
change — fortunately I don't have any staff issues right now.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585853655605.png" alt=" The inside of one of Finney County's ambulances. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> The inside of one of Finney County's ambulances. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Gear and personnel shortages</h2>Before Finney County had a confirmed case of <a href="https://kdhe.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/05f4169dc6394aa98895072b94734134" target="_blank">COVID-19</a>, 911 dispatchers were asking patients a series of questions before an ambulance arrived.&nbsp;Swords
 said if patients hadn’t traveled and didn’t have a fever or cough, EMS 
workers would wear standard personal protective equipment. EMS workers 
will only wear N95 masks if the patient tests positive for COVID-19.“We
 have to just trust that people are being honest with us and ... PPE is 
very limited,” Swords said. “Right now … 95 masks and the gowns are 
extremely difficult to procure.”After Sept. 11, Swords said efforts were made to store personal protective gear. But those stockpiles are outdated.“If
 I have 10,000 masks, and I’m throwing 10,000 masks away every five 
years or something like that because they’re outdated, then …&nbsp; that’s 
just a financial waste,” he said. “So we’re trying to find solutions 
that will help us be prepared in the moment without just constantly 
throwing stuff away.”&nbsp;Because fewer people live in rural 
communities, a community taxbase doesn’t always provide enough funding 
for EMS departments. Low wages can often push EMS workers into 
better-paying health care jobs.“We do lose a lot of quality technicians to the nursing field because of pay usually,” Swords said.When
 more EMS workers are needed, people will step up, House said. He said 
one measure will allow medics with expired certifications to work for up
 to 30 days.“I've got 140 people willing to deploy anywhere in 
the state, to assist services (and) maintain that crucial staffing that 
(EMS) need(s,” House said.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Gienapp added that 
there’s an overall lack of federal funding for emergency medical 
services. After 9/11, a lot of that aid went to police and fire 
departments.&nbsp;“The evidence of that shows up now,” he said, “and I
 don’t think we did everything we could have as a nation to prepare our 
nation’s emergency medical system to be ready to handle something like 
COVID-19.”Swords agreed, saying that statewide, plans aren’t where they need to be.“I
 guess the benefits, if you want to call it that, of this pandemic is 
we’re getting some real world experience with these plans.” he said.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585853699808.png" alt=" St. Catherine's Hospital in Garden City is one of many rural hospitals in Kansas. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> St. Catherine's Hospital in Garden City is one of many rural hospitals in Kansas. Credit Corinne Boyer / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Extra stress on rural hospitals&nbsp;</h2>In addition to concerns over adequate supplies and EMS technicians, COVID-19 is taking a toll on rural hospitals.&nbsp;Dr.
 Ronald Robinson, who is the CEO of hospitals in Atwood and Goodland, 
said routine surgeries and visits are suspended, which means it has lost
 revenue.&nbsp;“If you have an office visit, we’ll bill the insurance
 company,” Robinson said. “So, the cash actually doesn’t show up for us 
for a month and half.”&nbsp;Robinson said the Goodland hospital has 
enough cash to operate through Aug. 23. He added in an email:&nbsp; “We're 
not going to allow the hospital to run out of cash, and are taking 
aggressive steps to bring our expenses in line with our revenues.”And
 when patients with severe COVID-19 symptoms need hospitalization, it'll
 increase the stress on rural hospitals. Approximately half of the 
counties in the U.S. do not have <a href="https://khn.org/news/as-coronavirus-spreads-widely-millions-of-older-americans-live-in-counties-with-no-icu-beds/#lookup" target="_blank">ICU beds</a>.&nbsp;That’s
 the case in Wilson County in southeast Kansas. It has just 15 beds and 
one ventilator. Once those are full and it’s ventilator is in use, 
patients will need to be treated at larger hospitals.&nbsp;“We’re 
also having to work with our local EMS agency because they may be 
transporting some of these patients as they come in to get them trained 
and up to speed on taking ventilated patients to other facilities if we 
have to do that,” said Joseph Meier, a physician at Wilson Medical 
Center. “Which is just adding to all of the stuff that we’re having to 
prepare for down here.”&nbsp;Corinne Boyer covers western Kansas for High Plains Public Radio and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter<a href="https://kannews.slack.com/team/UFFCS11T5">&nbsp;</a><a href="https://twitter.com/Corinne_Boyer" target="_blank">@Corinne</a><a href="https://twitter.com/Corinne_Boyer" target="_blank">_boyer</a> or email cboyer@hppr.org.

Rural Kan. ambulance crews will be doubly strained by virus 

SCOTT COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities are investigating a second man in connection with alleged criminal threat involving coronavirus in Scott County.

Just before 10:30 a.m. Thursday, police with the assistance of the Scott County Sheriff's Office arrested Dominic Daniel Edson, 19, with Conspiracy to commit terrorism, criminal threat and assault.

This arrest was due to his involvement at the incident on March 31, at Dollar General involving a man telling an 11-year-old girl he was going to give her corona and coughed in her face, according to Police Chief David Post.

Just before 11p.m.&nbsp; Monday, officers arrested Chance Archie Seamans, 31, Scott City for Terrorism and Criminal Threat.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Edson and Seamans remain jailed in Scott County. Edson is being held on a bond of $100,000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585969636955.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Edson -photo Scott Co.SCOTT COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities are investigating a second man in connection with alleged criminal threat involving coronavirus in Scott County.Just before 10:30 a.m. Thursday, police with the assistance of the Scott County Sheriff's Office arrested Dominic Daniel Edson, 19, with Conspiracy to commit terrorism, criminal threat and assault.This arrest was due to his involvement at the incident on March 31, at Dollar General involving a man telling an 11-year-old girl he was going to give her corona and coughed in her face, according to Police Chief David Post.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585749576027.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Seamans photo Scott CountyJust before 11p.m.&nbsp; Monday, officers arrested Chance Archie Seamans, 31, Scott City for Terrorism and Criminal Threat.&nbsp;&nbsp;Edson and Seamans remain jailed in Scott County. Edson is being held on a bond of $100,000.

2nd Kan. man jailed in threat to spread coronavirus to 11-year-old

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile notifications click here.</a>

<a href="https://sunflowersenior.com/?fbclid=IwAR0NdMlwaHZF4_6-4qLv5CEpwF9qfrABmsMZoKDBdhVWu6d-JU3L358tT3c">To find out more visit the Sunflower Senior Solutions website,&nbsp;sunflowersenior.com.</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5dd2f46c897d147ad4bb104b">To find out more about The Post Podcast, or subscribe to mobile notifications click here.</a><div><iframe title="Medicare application deadlines not delayed by COVID-19 " height="400" width="400" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/abaqb-d825e5?from=yiiadmin&download=1&version=1&vjs=1&skin=3&auto=1&share=1&fonts=Helvetica&download=1&rtl=0&pbad=1"></iframe></div><a href="https://sunflowersenior.com/?fbclid=IwAR0NdMlwaHZF4_6-4qLv5CEpwF9qfrABmsMZoKDBdhVWu6d-JU3L358tT3c">To find out more visit the Sunflower Senior Solutions website,&nbsp;sunflowersenior.com.</a>

🎤Post Podcast: Medicare application deadlines not delayed by COVID-19

The Eagle Radio of Hays Online Auction is currently underway!

There are several great items to bid on including:

$250 Certificate from Advantage Glass Plus When it comes to accessorizing your Truck, Suv, Car, or Van,
Advantage Glass Plus is the original specialist! They have a great selection to
match your needs. Along with Towneau covers, 3M glass tinting, glass
replacement and more. Advantage Glass Plus, the original accessory center, 1005
Vine in Hays. Certificate may not be applied to account balance. 2 certificates
per visit.

Current Bid: $127.00 Retail Price: $250.00

Best Western in Wichita Standard Room The Best Western Wichita North in Wichita, Kansas has
received the Best Western® Hotels and Resorts Director's Award for yielding
outstanding quality standards. This is a pet friendly standard Room in a great
hotel near WSU Campus and Hartman Arena combines service and value, and our
Wichita hotel has both in abundance for their guests. Their 're just six miles
north of downtown Wichita, so slipping into town for some fine dining,
entertainment or a special event is easy. They offer a complimentary hot breakfast
with steaming hot waffles, fresh fruits, a selection of cereal and more. Free
shuttle to airport and always, Pending Availability good till 3/15/2021.

Current Bid: $38.00 Retail Price: $145.00

$200 Certificate from Lewis Paint and Collision Lewis Paint and Collision Center offers auto detailing,
glass replacement, paintless dent repair, along with collision repair with
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Certificate may not be used on account balance. Certificate good only at Lewis
Paint and Collision Center. See more @buylewis.com. Lewis Paint and Collision
Center 4240 Vine in Hays.

Current Bid: $37.00 Retail Price: $200.00

$500 Certificate from Tarps Unlimited/Wilkens Mfg. Inc. Protect your investment with a quality crafted tarp! Choose
from 16, 18 and 22 ounce polyester and nylon coated material in a wide array of
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Click&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/eagle-radio-auction">HERE</a>&nbsp;to see all the latest deals from local merchants.

Register, bid and buy from the comfort of your own home!

The Eagle Radio of Hays Online Auction is currently underway!There are several great items to bid on including:$250 Certificate from Advantage Glass Plus When it comes to accessorizing your Truck, Suv, Car, or Van,
Advantage Glass Plus is the original specialist! They have a great selection to
match your needs. Along with Towneau covers, 3M glass tinting, glass
replacement and more. Advantage Glass Plus, the original accessory center, 1005
Vine in Hays. Certificate may not be applied to account balance. 2 certificates
per visit.Current Bid: $127.00 Retail Price: $250.00Best Western in Wichita Standard Room The Best Western Wichita North in Wichita, Kansas has
received the Best Western® Hotels and Resorts Director's Award for yielding
outstanding quality standards. This is a pet friendly standard Room in a great
hotel near WSU Campus and Hartman Arena combines service and value, and our
Wichita hotel has both in abundance for their guests. Their 're just six miles
north of downtown Wichita, so slipping into town for some fine dining,
entertainment or a special event is easy. They offer a complimentary hot breakfast
with steaming hot waffles, fresh fruits, a selection of cereal and more. Free
shuttle to airport and always, Pending Availability good till 3/15/2021.Current Bid: $38.00 Retail Price: $145.00$200 Certificate from Lewis Paint and Collision Lewis Paint and Collision Center offers auto detailing,
glass replacement, paintless dent repair, along with collision repair with
guaranteed color match. Great way to take care of your insurance deductible.
Certificate may not be used on account balance. Certificate good only at Lewis
Paint and Collision Center. See more @buylewis.com. Lewis Paint and Collision
Center 4240 Vine in Hays.Current Bid: $37.00 Retail Price: $200.00$500 Certificate from Tarps Unlimited/Wilkens Mfg. Inc. Protect your investment with a quality crafted tarp! Choose
from 16, 18 and 22 ounce polyester and nylon coated material in a wide array of
colors. All applications are top quality, fully guaranteed, and crafted to fit
your needs. Does not include Boat Tarps. Certificate value is $500. Offer valid
through September 30th 2020.Current Bid: $160.00 Retail Price: $500.00Click&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/eagle-radio-auction">HERE</a>&nbsp;to see all the latest deals from local merchants.Register, bid and buy from the comfort of your own home!

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GOVE COUNTY — One person was injured in an accident just after 10a.m. Friday in Gove County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Ram Truck driven by Tyler Harry, 18, Colby, was westbound on Highway 40 just east of Main Street in Park.

The driver lost control of the vehicle. It did a quarter turn onto the drivers side and came to rest on its wheels in the north ditch.

EMS transported Harry to Gove County Medical Center. The KHP did not report seat belt usage details.

GOVE COUNTY — One person was injured in an accident just after 10a.m. Friday in Gove County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Ram Truck driven by Tyler Harry, 18, Colby, was westbound on Highway 40 just east of Main Street in Park.The driver lost control of the vehicle. It did a quarter turn onto the drivers side and came to rest on its wheels in the north ditch.EMS transported Harry to Gove County Medical Center. The KHP did not report seat belt usage details.

NW Kansas teen hospitalized after pickup travels into ditch

ECHD prioritizes the health and safety of all residents of Ellis County.  We empathize with the fear and confusion of all residents of Ellis County and desire to provide the most up to date information possible. 

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e87764031074a540ab516a7"> 
A positive COVID-19 patient has been admitted to Hays Medical Center according to Hays Medical Center press release.</a> This patient is not a resident of Ellis County. According to KDHE data as of 2 p.m. Friday, Ellis County does NOT have any cases of COVID-19 in Ellis County residents. We understand this creates confusion. Ellis County Health department cannot report on any cases that do not have a residence in or that directly impact the health and safety of Ellis County residents.

     
KDHE notifies the county health department of patient residence for anyone with a positive COVID-19 test.  The health department in the patient’s county of residence will begin a contact tracing and identify and notify any close contacts.  Again, currently Ellis County does NOT have any cases of COVID-19 in Ellis County Residents.  As information becomes available Ellis County Health Department will be the official source of information for COVID-19 patients that reside in or directly impact the health and safety of Ellis County residents. 

  
The public should continue to follow basic hygiene practices, engage in social distancing and continue to follow Governors Executive Order 20-16. If concerned about personal health, please call your family physician or the COVID-19 hotline at 877-261-7140.  911 services should be reserved for emergency care.  We encourage all residents to stay home whenever possible.  We understand and acknowledge that this is a fearful time for many and ECHD will continue to monitor the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 and keep you updated. 

  
Circumstances and education surrounding COVID-19 change rapidly.  Please continue to stay up to date with information provided by ECHD, HMC, KDHE and the CDC to help limit the spread and impact of the virus.  
For more information visit www.cdc.gov/COVID19 or www.kdheks.gov/.&nbsp;

Ellis County Health DepartmentECHD prioritizes the health and safety of all residents of Ellis County. We empathize with the fear and confusion of all residents of Ellis County and desire to provide the most up to date information possible. <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e87764031074a540ab516a7"> 
A positive COVID-19 patient has been admitted to Hays Medical Center according to Hays Medical Center press release.</a> This patient is not a resident of Ellis County. According to KDHE data as of 2 p.m. Friday, Ellis County does NOT have any cases of COVID-19 in Ellis County residents. We understand this creates confusion. Ellis County Health department cannot report on any cases that do not have a residence in or that directly impact the health and safety of Ellis County residents. 
KDHE notifies the county health department of patient residence for anyone with a positive COVID-19 test. The health department in the patient’s county of residence will begin a contact tracing and identify and notify any close contacts. Again, currently Ellis County does NOT have any cases of COVID-19 in Ellis County Residents. As information becomes available Ellis County Health Department will be the official source of information for COVID-19 patients that reside in or directly impact the health and safety of Ellis County residents. 
The public should continue to follow basic hygiene practices, engage in social distancing and continue to follow Governors Executive Order 20-16. If concerned about personal health, please call your family physician or the COVID-19 hotline at 877-261-7140. 911 services should be reserved for emergency care. We encourage all residents to stay home whenever possible. We understand and acknowledge that this is a fearful time for many and ECHD will continue to monitor the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 and keep you updated. 
Circumstances and education surrounding COVID-19 change rapidly. Please continue to stay up to date with information provided by ECHD, HMC, KDHE and the CDC to help limit the spread and impact of the virus. 
For more information visit www.cdc.gov/COVID19 or www.kdheks.gov/.&nbsp;

County: HaysMed COVID-19 patient not an Ellis Co. resident

A patient with COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, or SARS-CoV-2, has been admitted to HaysMed, part of The University of Kansas Health System, for treatment. The patient is in a specially equipped area that is designed to prevent the spread of the virus to other patients, visitors, staff and physicians.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e878febeb7f170536019fc7">RELATED: County officials report COVID-19 patient not an Ellis Co. resident</a>

Upon arrival, caregivers wearing protective personal gear coordinated the patient's entry into the hospital. No other patients, visitors or caregivers were exposed.&nbsp; HaysMed followed CDC and KDHE guidelines to protect caregivers, patients and visitors from exposure.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"We will not share information about patients admitted for COVID-19 in order to protect their privacy as required by federal law.&nbsp; County and state health departments work in tandem for contact tracing and will notify people at risk per their protocols.&nbsp; All questions related to public safety should be directed to the appropriate governing agency," HaysMed said in a news release Friday.

HaysMed’s top priority is the safety of our patients, caregivers, and the community.&nbsp;Our expert clinicians regularly care for patients with severe respiratory illnesses and other infectious diseases. They are well trained and follow specific procedures using the tools and techniques in place to protect themselves, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

HaysMed is a regional referral hospital for the area, taking care of patients from all over western Kansas, including COVID-19 patients also.&nbsp; We are equipped and ready.

Employees are safe to come to work. &nbsp; While some patient appointments have been postponed or delayed, patients who have appointments for conditions which they must be present and seen by a provider are safe to keep their medical and outpatient appointments.&nbsp; You can also contact your clinic about setting up a telehealth visit.

If you have questions or concerns about the novel coronavirus please call the COVID-19 hotline at&nbsp; 877-261-7140.&nbsp; The hotline is available 7 days a week from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584140055070.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HaysMedA patient with COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, or SARS-CoV-2, has been admitted to HaysMed, part of The University of Kansas Health System, for treatment. The patient is in a specially equipped area that is designed to prevent the spread of the virus to other patients, visitors, staff and physicians.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5e878febeb7f170536019fc7">RELATED: County officials report COVID-19 patient not an Ellis Co. resident</a>Upon arrival, caregivers wearing protective personal gear coordinated the patient's entry into the hospital. No other patients, visitors or caregivers were exposed.&nbsp; HaysMed followed CDC and KDHE guidelines to protect caregivers, patients and visitors from exposure.&nbsp;&nbsp;"We will not share information about patients admitted for COVID-19 in order to protect their privacy as required by federal law.&nbsp; County and state health departments work in tandem for contact tracing and will notify people at risk per their protocols.&nbsp; All questions related to public safety should be directed to the appropriate governing agency," HaysMed said in a news release Friday.HaysMed’s top priority is the safety of our patients, caregivers, and the community.&nbsp;Our expert clinicians regularly care for patients with severe respiratory illnesses and other infectious diseases. They are well trained and follow specific procedures using the tools and techniques in place to protect themselves, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).HaysMed is a regional referral hospital for the area, taking care of patients from all over western Kansas, including COVID-19 patients also.&nbsp; We are equipped and ready.Employees are safe to come to work. &nbsp; While some patient appointments have been postponed or delayed, patients who have appointments for conditions which they must be present and seen by a provider are safe to keep their medical and outpatient appointments.&nbsp; You can also contact your clinic about setting up a telehealth visit.If you have questions or concerns about the novel coronavirus please call the COVID-19 hotline at&nbsp; 877-261-7140.&nbsp; The hotline is available 7 days a week from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm.HaysMed

HaysMed announces first COVID-19 case

By BECKY KISER Hays Post

<a href="https://www.haysusa.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=350">New rules</a> at the Fort Hays Municipal Golf Course&nbsp; allowing play to resume at 8 a.m. Fri., April 3, were altered slightly late Thursday afternoon.

Originally, only one person was to be allowed in a golf court.&nbsp;

Now, a golf cart may be occupied by more than one person if they are family members living in the same household.

The city of Hays closed the golf course Monday morning when Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly's Stay at Home order went into effect due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Several area courses remained open. Jeff Boyle, director of parks, received a lot of phone calls and emails from disgruntled local golfers.&nbsp;

Boyle worked with the state to allow the municipal course to reopen in a safe manner. New course rules were compiled to provide the opportunity to play golf while following the restrictions outlined in EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 20-16.&nbsp;

The new rules are available on the city's <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/DocumentCenter/View/2927/Golf-Course-Covid-19-Response?bidId=">website</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585871648046.jpeg" alt="The Hays municipal golf course will reopen Friday with new&nbsp; rules in place amidst the coronavirus outbreak." />
 <figcaption>The Hays municipal golf course will reopen Friday with new&nbsp; rules in place amidst the coronavirus outbreak.</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays Post<a href="https://www.haysusa.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=350">New rules</a> at the Fort Hays Municipal Golf Course&nbsp; allowing play to resume at 8 a.m. Fri., April 3, were altered slightly late Thursday afternoon.Originally, only one person was to be allowed in a golf court.&nbsp;Now, a golf cart may be occupied by more than one person if they are family members living in the same household.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585869817823.jpeg" alt="More than one person may now ride in a golf cart if they are family members living in the same place." />
 <figcaption>More than one person may now ride in a golf cart if they are family members living in the same place.</figcaption>
 </figure>The city of Hays closed the golf course Monday morning when Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly's Stay at Home order went into effect due to the coronavirus pandemic.Several area courses remained open. Jeff Boyle, director of parks, received a lot of phone calls and emails from disgruntled local golfers.&nbsp;Boyle worked with the state to allow the municipal course to reopen in a safe manner. New course rules were compiled to provide the opportunity to play golf while following the restrictions outlined in EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 20-16.&nbsp;The new rules are available on the city's <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/DocumentCenter/View/2927/Golf-Course-Covid-19-Response?bidId=">website</a>.&nbsp;

Golf course rule altered, allows family members in same cart

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

ELLIS — Ellis USD 388 will launch its continuous learning plan on Monday, starting slowly, keeping to the essentials and making adjustments as needed, Superintendent Corey Burton said.

Burton said the district will send a survey to parents after the first week of online learning to get feedback on the process.

The Ellis school board approved the plan Thursday night during a special meeting.&nbsp;

The board also agreed to pay wages through the end of the school year for district employees as part of the state waiver process.&nbsp;

The district will keep to its previously approved calendar with the same end date for the school year.

The district requires 25 hours for graduation. Burton said that will remain the same. He said most seniors have already earned 21 credits, the state minimum before they start their senior year.

The district is going to give seniors the option to drop their electives effective the end of their third quarter. However, they will need to complete English 4, government, and finance and career preparation.

Graduation is postponed, but Burton said the school would find a way to recognize its seniors even if it can't do so in the traditional way.

Washington Elementary School as well as Ellis Junior High/High School have one-one-technology programs.

While iPads don't usually go home with the younger students, they were distributed along with personal belongings Thursday.

High school students will be using their laptops.

The district has a variety of online tools already in place that it will use in instruction. Some of these include SeeSaw, Google Classroom, Zoom, Schoolage and Edmodo.

Donna Schmidt, EJH/HS principal, said learning will look&nbsp; a little bit different for every student.

Some teachers have prerecorded short five- to 10-minute instructional videos. Other teachers might engage children through chat sessions or sending students questions and requesting students to respond.

The school music teacher hopes to have students record performances and provide feedback via Zoom. Art students will be working on projects with the materials they have at home, and woods students will be learning skills via videos.

Schmidt said she hoped woods students would be able to get back in the shop and finish projects this summer.

Grades will be assigned during this time, but Burton said he is asking district teachers to have grace with their students and their families if they are struggling.

Schmidt said, "We want to be able to identify where our students are being successful and where they are struggling."

John Befort, Washington Grade School principal, said the younger students will be using their iPads, but were also sent home with paper assignments.

For classes like music, the students will be encouraged to participate in fun activities, such as singing a song.

Befort expressed concerns about students' emotional well-being during the school shutdown. Older students may be able to connect through phones or social media, but he said he wondered about the little kids.

"They are not going to be around friends. ... I see how it affects the students," he said. "I think it is important for teachers to try to get kids in their classrooms connected through platforms so they can interact."

The Ellis school district only started to work on its continuous learning plan in earnest after spring break ended Monday.

"Probably one of our biggest challenges is how quickly we are trying to turn this around," Burton said.&nbsp;

"We have had a complete paradigm shift on how we deliver education. If you were going to tell a school next year you're going to go online, you would probably spend a year to six months gearing up for that process."

Burton said the district is committed to keeping in communication with students and families.&nbsp;

Each of the district's buildings has a counselor, and they have already been reaching out to students with whom they regularly meet to offer support.

The district already has in place the StopIt App, which allows students to report bullying or other things that may be troubling them. The reports go automatically to principals and counselors.

Schmidt said the transition to online learning has been difficult for teachers and staff, as well.

"We miss them too," she said. "It is hard. It is really hard. ... We have great faculty and staff, and we work together well. We are learning how to work together while maintaining social distance.

"None of us could have predicted we would face something like this in our careers. I am so proud we have been able to accomplish what we have been able to accomplish."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579030633433.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostELLIS — Ellis USD 388 will launch its continuous learning plan on Monday, starting slowly, keeping to the essentials and making adjustments as needed, Superintendent Corey Burton said.Burton said the district will send a survey to parents after the first week of online learning to get feedback on the process.The Ellis school board approved the plan Thursday night during a special meeting.&nbsp;The board also agreed to pay wages through the end of the school year for district employees as part of the state waiver process.&nbsp;The district will keep to its previously approved calendar with the same end date for the school year.<h2>Seniors</h2>The district requires 25 hours for graduation. Burton said that will remain the same. He said most seniors have already earned 21 credits, the state minimum before they start their senior year.The district is going to give seniors the option to drop their electives effective the end of their third quarter. However, they will need to complete English 4, government, and finance and career preparation.Graduation is postponed, but Burton said the school would find a way to recognize its seniors even if it can't do so in the traditional way.<h2>Online tools</h2>Washington Elementary School as well as Ellis Junior High/High School have one-one-technology programs.While iPads don't usually go home with the younger students, they were distributed along with personal belongings Thursday.High school students will be using their laptops.The district has a variety of online tools already in place that it will use in instruction. Some of these include SeeSaw, Google Classroom, Zoom, Schoolage and Edmodo.<h2>Junior high/high school&nbsp;</h2>Donna Schmidt, EJH/HS principal, said learning will look&nbsp; a little bit different for every student.Some teachers have prerecorded short five- to 10-minute instructional videos. Other teachers might engage children through chat sessions or sending students questions and requesting students to respond.The school music teacher hopes to have students record performances and provide feedback via Zoom. Art students will be working on projects with the materials they have at home, and woods students will be learning skills via videos.Schmidt said she hoped woods students would be able to get back in the shop and finish projects this summer.Grades will be assigned during this time, but Burton said he is asking district teachers to have grace with their students and their families if they are struggling.Schmidt said, "We want to be able to identify where our students are being successful and where they are struggling."<h2>Grade school</h2>John Befort, Washington Grade School principal, said the younger students will be using their iPads, but were also sent home with paper assignments.For classes like music, the students will be encouraged to participate in fun activities, such as singing a song.Befort expressed concerns about students' emotional well-being during the school shutdown. Older students may be able to connect through phones or social media, but he said he wondered about the little kids."They are not going to be around friends. ... I see how it affects the students," he said. "I think it is important for teachers to try to get kids in their classrooms connected through platforms so they can interact."<h2>Moving fast</h2>The Ellis school district only started to work on its continuous learning plan in earnest after spring break ended Monday."Probably one of our biggest challenges is how quickly we are trying to turn this around," Burton said.&nbsp;"We have had a complete paradigm shift on how we deliver education. If you were going to tell a school next year you're going to go online, you would probably spend a year to six months gearing up for that process."<h2>Students' emotional well-being</h2>Burton said the district is committed to keeping in communication with students and families.&nbsp;Each of the district's buildings has a counselor, and they have already been reaching out to students with whom they regularly meet to offer support.The district already has in place the StopIt App, which allows students to report bullying or other things that may be troubling them. The reports go automatically to principals and counselors.Schmidt said the transition to online learning has been difficult for teachers and staff, as well."We miss them too," she said. "It is hard. It is really hard. ... We have great faculty and staff, and we work together well. We are learning how to work together while maintaining social distance."None of us could have predicted we would face something like this in our careers. I am so proud we have been able to accomplish what we have been able to accomplish."

Ellis USD 388 keeping to essentials, moving slowly

The Hays USD 489 school board hired Olivia Rice as the new principal of Roosevelt Elementary School during its meeting Monday night.&nbsp;

Olivia Rice will take the place of current principal Paula Rice, who resigned effective at the end of the school year. The two are not related.

Olivia Rice graduated from La Crosse High School in 2009.

She earned her bachelor's degree in human ecology at Kansas State University.

After graduating from KSU, she worked as an MTSS program coordinator at the elementary level in Manhattan for one year. 

In 2016, she moved to Hutchinson to work as a family and consumer science teacher at Hutchinson Middle School.

In 2018, she took a position at Buhler High School to teach culinary arts.

In 2019, she received her master's of education degree, and she is finishing her second master’s degree in building leadership from Fort Hays State University.

Her husband is Kerby Rice, who works at Herrman Physical Therapy as a physical therapist in Hays. They have an 8-year-old son, Brady, and a 7-month-old daughter, Rosalynn.  

The board also approved other administrator and director contracts below.

Administrators Anita Scheve Martin Straub Fred Winter Lance Krannawitter John Linn Kerri Lacy Vicki Gile-returning for 1 year Tom Albers Shauna Zweifel Donna Hudson-Hamilton Keri Petersen

Directors Scott Summers-IT Rusty Lindsay-buildings and grounds Russ Henningsen-transportation Jessica Younker-nutrition

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostThe Hays USD 489 school board hired Olivia Rice as the new principal of Roosevelt Elementary School during its meeting Monday night.&nbsp;Olivia Rice will take the place of current principal Paula Rice, who resigned effective at the end of the school year. The two are not related.Olivia Rice graduated from La Crosse High School in 2009.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585838654147.jpeg" alt="Olivia Rice" />
 <figcaption>Olivia Rice</figcaption>
 </figure>She earned her bachelor's degree in human ecology at Kansas State University.After graduating from KSU, she worked as an MTSS program coordinator at the elementary level in Manhattan for one year. In 2016, she moved to Hutchinson to work as a family and consumer science teacher at Hutchinson Middle School.In 2018, she took a position at Buhler High School to teach culinary arts.In 2019, she received her master's of education degree, and she is finishing her second master’s degree in building leadership from Fort Hays State University.Her husband is Kerby Rice, who works at Herrman Physical Therapy as a physical therapist in Hays. They have an 8-year-old son, Brady, and a 7-month-old daughter, Rosalynn. The board also approved other administrator and director contracts below.Administrators Anita Scheve Martin Straub Fred Winter Lance Krannawitter John Linn Kerri Lacy Vicki Gile-returning for 1 year Tom Albers Shauna Zweifel Donna Hudson-Hamilton Keri PetersenDirectors Scott Summers-IT Rusty Lindsay-buildings and grounds Russ Henningsen-transportation Jessica Younker-nutrition

Buhler teacher, La Crosse alum hired as new Roosevelt principal

Missouri’s Harry Truman famously displayed a sign on his Oval Office desk: “The Buck Stops Here.”&nbsp; Nothing could have been clearer.&nbsp; In the end, the president is responsible for the nation’s well-being, regardless of the circumstances.&nbsp; Much the same is true for governors, who exercise similar authority, albeit in smaller domains.&nbsp;

This was driven home to me when I worked for Governor Kathleen Sebelius for calendar year 2005.&nbsp; No matter the issue, there was only one degree of separation between a citizen in Great Bend or Maize or Ottawa and the governor.&nbsp; Everything reached her desk, frequently with lightning speed.&nbsp; For better or worse, the buck stopped there, as she got both more blame and more credit than she deserved, whatever the policy outcome.

As a legislative scholar, I’ve grown more and more skeptical of steady increases in executive power, whether in Washington, DC, or the 50 state capitols.&nbsp; Still, when disasters strike, executives must act, both administering policy and reassuring the public.&nbsp; Delays, per Herbert Hoover, prove disastrous. Immediate, forceful action, per Roosevelt in 1933 and 1941, can limit damage and pull people together, however imperfectly.

While some major threats require federal responses, far more crises demand the attention of governors, whose authority is surprisingly great, both through their formal powers and the need for timely, coordinated actions.&nbsp; No crisis in over a century has tested American governors more than the myriad challenges posed by Covid-19 virus.&nbsp; And governors’ jobs have been made more difficult by President Trump’s slow, erratic, and often wishful pronouncements.&nbsp;

Governors make their choices inside a federal system, which has many virtues.&nbsp; States can react within their own economic, physical, and political context. Thus, what would be right for Michigan might not work in New Mexico. Moreover, governors know their states extremely well and can react more effectively than a distant president.

When governors make mistakes, however, things can go wrong quickly, even when other states demonstrate better ways forward. The idealized notion of states as “laboratories of democracy” holds real virtues, but the inevitable crisis failures in some of these “laboratories” penalize their citizens.

Thus, comparing the Covid-19 responses of the Kansas and Missouri governors illustrates the strengths and weaknesses of federalism in a time of crisis.&nbsp; Even as Missouri experienced a 600 percent increase in coronavirus infections last week, Governor Mike Parson remained slow to act. As one analysis stated, “Parson has not closed the schools (he waited until they all did it themselves, not issued a state-at-home order (not even close, not demanded that the legislature act urgently to get assistance funds to desperate health care professionals (still hasn’t happened) and not required non-essential business to close statewide (not state’s role).”

Compare that to Governor Laura Kelly’s first-in-the nation school closure action and her statewide “stay-at-home” order, despite just 320 cases in the state.&nbsp; Kelly has taken advice from her top professional advisor, Dr. Lee Norman, the state’s Secretary of Health, acting early, responding forcefully and thus reassuring Kansans that a competent hand is on the tiller.

We’ve got a long way to go, but so far Laura Kelly has quietly acted in the best interests of her 2.9 million constituents. In contrast to President Trump and Governor Parson, she makes no excuses. And like New York’s highly visible governor, Andrew Cuomo, Kelly knows exactly where the buck stops – with her.

Burdett Loomis is an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574348610067.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Missouri’s Harry Truman famously displayed a sign on his Oval Office desk: “The Buck Stops Here.”&nbsp; Nothing could have been clearer.&nbsp; In the end, the president is responsible for the nation’s well-being, regardless of the circumstances.&nbsp; Much the same is true for governors, who exercise similar authority, albeit in smaller domains.&nbsp;This was driven home to me when I worked for Governor Kathleen Sebelius for calendar year 2005.&nbsp; No matter the issue, there was only one degree of separation between a citizen in Great Bend or Maize or Ottawa and the governor.&nbsp; Everything reached her desk, frequently with lightning speed.&nbsp; For better or worse, the buck stopped there, as she got both more blame and more credit than she deserved, whatever the policy outcome.As a legislative scholar, I’ve grown more and more skeptical of steady increases in executive power, whether in Washington, DC, or the 50 state capitols.&nbsp; Still, when disasters strike, executives must act, both administering policy and reassuring the public.&nbsp; Delays, per Herbert Hoover, prove disastrous. Immediate, forceful action, per Roosevelt in 1933 and 1941, can limit damage and pull people together, however imperfectly.While some major threats require federal responses, far more crises demand the attention of governors, whose authority is surprisingly great, both through their formal powers and the need for timely, coordinated actions.&nbsp; No crisis in over a century has tested American governors more than the myriad challenges posed by Covid-19 virus.&nbsp; And governors’ jobs have been made more difficult by President Trump’s slow, erratic, and often wishful pronouncements.&nbsp;Governors make their choices inside a federal system, which has many virtues.&nbsp; States can react within their own economic, physical, and political context. Thus, what would be right for Michigan might not work in New Mexico. Moreover, governors know their states extremely well and can react more effectively than a distant president.When governors make mistakes, however, things can go wrong quickly, even when other states demonstrate better ways forward. The idealized notion of states as “laboratories of democracy” holds real virtues, but the inevitable crisis failures in some of these “laboratories” penalize their citizens.Thus, comparing the Covid-19 responses of the Kansas and Missouri governors illustrates the strengths and weaknesses of federalism in a time of crisis.&nbsp; Even as Missouri experienced a 600 percent increase in coronavirus infections last week, Governor Mike Parson remained slow to act. As one analysis stated, “Parson has not closed the schools (he waited until they all did it themselves, not issued a state-at-home order (not even close, not demanded that the legislature act urgently to get assistance funds to desperate health care professionals (still hasn’t happened) and not required non-essential business to close statewide (not state’s role).”Compare that to Governor Laura Kelly’s first-in-the nation school closure action and her statewide “stay-at-home” order, despite just 320 cases in the state.&nbsp; Kelly has taken advice from her top professional advisor, Dr. Lee Norman, the state’s Secretary of Health, acting early, responding forcefully and thus reassuring Kansans that a competent hand is on the tiller.We’ve got a long way to go, but so far Laura Kelly has quietly acted in the best interests of her 2.9 million constituents. In contrast to President Trump and Governor Parson, she makes no excuses. And like New York’s highly visible governor, Andrew Cuomo, Kelly knows exactly where the buck stops – with her.Burdett Loomis is an emeritus professor of political science at the University of Kansas.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Where the buck stops

<a href="https://hayspost.com/state-farm-weather-window/">For a full look at weather visit the State Farm Weather Window by clicking here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575929617735.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hayspost.com/state-farm-weather-window/">For a full look at weather visit the State Farm Weather Window by clicking here.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585883590334.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Three-day weather outlook

WICHITA, Kansas — Floods, tornadoes and other 
natural disasters raked across the plains of Kansas long before this 
latest pandemic swirled invisibly around the globe.

And no amount of hunkering down in this <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AloneTogether&amp;src=typeahead_click" target="_blank">#AloneTogether</a> period will ward off storm systems or the chaos they rain down.

To deal with that reality in this year of <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html" target="_blank">COVID-19</a>, emergency response managers at the federal, <a href="http://www.kansastag.gov/kdem_default.asp" target="_blank">state</a> and <a href="https://www.kema.org/board" target="_blank">county levels </a>are retooling how they’ll act when disaster strikes.

Help
 that would have been just a few key phone calls and emails away is busy
 dealing with its own problems in response to a crisis likely to linger 
at least for months.

That leaves the people paid to help 
communities brace for a deluge or recover from a twister more isolated. 
Not only do they have to deal with the new coronavirus that’s upended 
the world, but with the periodic disasters they're accustomed to 
preparing for.

While responders might be skilled in building a 
barrier out of sandbags or setting up temporary shelters for people with
 no place to go, making sure those shelters aren’t a perfect place for 
the virus to spread is a whole new challenge.

“I’m not sure we’ve ever trained for something just like this,” said Josh Murray, regional communications director for the <a href="https://www.redcross.org/local/kansas.html" target="_blank">American Red Cross</a>.
 “Hopefully, we don’t have any storms or major disasters that we have to
 deal with right away. But we know that that’s very possible and we’re 
doing everything we can to be ready.”

The <a href="https://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/" target="_blank">Army Corps of Engineers’ regional offices in Kansas City</a>
 have a ghost town feel these days. Like so many Kansans, the federal 
workers at the massive agency work from home, preparing, as usual, for 
the worst.

“The main thing right now is keeping our employees, 
our staff, healthy so if we do get into an event, we’re able to 
respond,” said Mike Dulin, an emergency management specialist with the 
Kansas City District of the Corps.

Across the Great Plains, that most likely means rivers busting from their banks and <a href="https://www.weather.gov/ddc/greensburgfiveyear" target="_blank">tornadoes ripping across the landscape</a>.

Typical
 training sessions that in prior years would happen in person now take 
place virtually through meetings over the Zoom app and conference phone 
calls.

“If we do get into a flood event, I think a lot of folks 
are going to be familiar with that virtual support already because we’re
 doing it as part of our daily routine now,” Dulin said.

In the 
event of a disaster, the material goods such as sandbags for flood 
barriers and equipment to clean up after a tornado are already in place.
 The problem is getting those to the impacted areas and protecting the 
responders who have to show up, pandemic or not.

“How do I keep 
them healthy, how do I mitigate the risk for them and their family,” 
asked Maj. General Lee Tafanelli, the Kansas director of emergency 
management.

One way is through the use of personal protective 
equipment such as face masks and gloves. Yet those supplies are scarce 
enough at hospitals already.

Tafanelli said the state is also 
looking at the ways setting up shelters for people who have to evacuate 
or have lost their homes would be different.

In Atchison County 
in northeast Kansas, where the Missouri River burst its banks last year,
 emergency management officials said the best-case scenario is not 
needing to open any shelters.

“We don’t want to do that, but if 
there’s a necessity to do so then we would have to do it,” said Wes 
Lanter, director of emergency management for Atchison County.

But it’s hard to predict where shelters might be needed. In a major disaster, shelters play a key role in helping the displaced.

To prepare for a time when one might be needed, the Red Cross said 
it’s working on modifying how those shelters would operate. People would
 likely be screened before being allowed in and an isolation area would 
be set up for people exhibiting symptoms of the coronavirus.

There’d be precautions taken inside the shelter, too.

“That
 may be spreading the beds farther apart,” said the Red Cross’ Murray. 
“That may be staggering meal times so people aren’t all sitting at a 
table at the same time.”

He said it’s likely county officials 
would need to find multiple locations for shelters&nbsp; as separation 
guidelines would mean fewer people could be housed in each one.

Finding and training volunteers would also be a challenge.

The
 Red Cross often gets supplies and volunteers from outside of the 
disaster area. But right now, the first disaster is coronavirus, and 
that’s impacting people nationwide. People who would normally travel to 
help out after a tornado, flood, or hurricane won’t be available.

Murray
 said even though the Red Cross and many of its volunteers are 
experienced at responding to disasters, this is unlike anything he’s 
ever seen.

“It would be a new experience,” he said, “and 
something that we’d have to do a lot of training and really go over how 
this is going to work.”

Brian Grimmett reports on the 
environment, energy and natural resources for KMUW in Wichita and the 
Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en">@briangrimmett</a>&nbsp;or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585760010774.jpeg" alt=" Flooding in Johnson County, Kansas, in July of 2017. Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Flooding in Johnson County, Kansas, in July of 2017. Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRIAN GRIMMETT, Kansas News ServiceWICHITA, Kansas — Floods, tornadoes and other 
natural disasters raked across the plains of Kansas long before this 
latest pandemic swirled invisibly around the globe.And no amount of hunkering down in this <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23AloneTogether&amp;src=typeahead_click" target="_blank">#AloneTogether</a> period will ward off storm systems or the chaos they rain down.To deal with that reality in this year of <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html" target="_blank">COVID-19</a>, emergency response managers at the federal, <a href="http://www.kansastag.gov/kdem_default.asp" target="_blank">state</a> and <a href="https://www.kema.org/board" target="_blank">county levels </a>are retooling how they’ll act when disaster strikes.Help
 that would have been just a few key phone calls and emails away is busy
 dealing with its own problems in response to a crisis likely to linger 
at least for months.That leaves the people paid to help 
communities brace for a deluge or recover from a twister more isolated. 
Not only do they have to deal with the new coronavirus that’s upended 
the world, but with the periodic disasters they're accustomed to 
preparing for.While responders might be skilled in building a 
barrier out of sandbags or setting up temporary shelters for people with
 no place to go, making sure those shelters aren’t a perfect place for 
the virus to spread is a whole new challenge.“I’m not sure we’ve ever trained for something just like this,” said Josh Murray, regional communications director for the <a href="https://www.redcross.org/local/kansas.html" target="_blank">American Red Cross</a>.
 “Hopefully, we don’t have any storms or major disasters that we have to
 deal with right away. But we know that that’s very possible and we’re 
doing everything we can to be ready.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585760056246.jpeg" alt=" Damage from the tornado that struck Greensburg, Kansas in May of 2007. Credit Jeff Hutton / National Weather Service" />
 <figcaption> Damage from the tornado that struck Greensburg, Kansas in May of 2007. Credit Jeff Hutton / National Weather Service</figcaption>
 </figure>Virtual PreparednessThe <a href="https://www.nwk.usace.army.mil/" target="_blank">Army Corps of Engineers’ regional offices in Kansas City</a>
 have a ghost town feel these days. Like so many Kansans, the federal 
workers at the massive agency work from home, preparing, as usual, for 
the worst.“The main thing right now is keeping our employees, 
our staff, healthy so if we do get into an event, we’re able to 
respond,” said Mike Dulin, an emergency management specialist with the 
Kansas City District of the Corps.Across the Great Plains, that most likely means rivers busting from their banks and <a href="https://www.weather.gov/ddc/greensburgfiveyear" target="_blank">tornadoes ripping across the landscape</a>.Typical
 training sessions that in prior years would happen in person now take 
place virtually through meetings over the Zoom app and conference phone 
calls.“If we do get into a flood event, I think a lot of folks 
are going to be familiar with that virtual support already because we’re
 doing it as part of our daily routine now,” Dulin said.In the 
event of a disaster, the material goods such as sandbags for flood 
barriers and equipment to clean up after a tornado are already in place.
 The problem is getting those to the impacted areas and protecting the 
responders who have to show up, pandemic or not.“How do I keep 
them healthy, how do I mitigate the risk for them and their family,” 
asked Maj. General Lee Tafanelli, the Kansas director of emergency 
management.One way is through the use of personal protective 
equipment such as face masks and gloves. Yet those supplies are scarce 
enough at hospitals already.Tafanelli said the state is also 
looking at the ways setting up shelters for people who have to evacuate 
or have lost their homes would be different.In Atchison County 
in northeast Kansas, where the Missouri River burst its banks last year,
 emergency management officials said the best-case scenario is not 
needing to open any shelters.“We don’t want to do that, but if 
there’s a necessity to do so then we would have to do it,” said Wes 
Lanter, director of emergency management for Atchison County.But it’s hard to predict where shelters might be needed. In a major disaster, shelters play a key role in helping the displaced.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1585760094092.jpeg" alt=" Flooding in Larned, Kansas in August 2019. Credit Chris Neal / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption> Flooding in Larned, Kansas in August 2019. Credit Chris Neal / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>To prepare for a time when one might be needed, the Red Cross said 
it’s working on modifying how those shelters would operate. People would
 likely be screened before being allowed in and an isolation area would 
be set up for people exhibiting symptoms of the coronavirus.There’d be precautions taken inside the shelter, too.“That
 may be spreading the beds farther apart,” said the Red Cross’ Murray. 
“That may be staggering meal times so people aren’t all sitting at a 
table at the same time.”He said it’s likely county officials 
would need to find multiple locations for shelters&nbsp; as separation 
guidelines would mean fewer people could be housed in each one.Finding and training volunteers would also be a challenge.The
 Red Cross often gets supplies and volunteers from outside of the 
disaster area. But right now, the first disaster is coronavirus, and 
that’s impacting people nationwide. People who would normally travel to 
help out after a tornado, flood, or hurricane won’t be available.Murray
 said even though the Red Cross and many of its volunteers are 
experienced at responding to disasters, this is unlike anything he’s 
ever seen.“It would be a new experience,” he said, “and 
something that we’d have to do a lot of training and really go over how 
this is going to work.”Brian Grimmett reports on the 
environment, energy and natural resources for KMUW in Wichita and the 
Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/briangrimmett?lang=en">@briangrimmett</a>&nbsp;or email him at grimmett@kmuw.org.

Hunkered-down Kansans brace for flood, tornado season

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OSBORNE - The Osborne County Health Department has announced the first case of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Osborne County, in a news release late Thursday afternoon from Carla Mans, RN administrator.

The case involves a female over age 60 with recent out-of-state travel.

The Osborne County Health Department is working to identify any close contacts of the individual and those who were exposed will be contacted as soon as possible.

They will be monitoring these contacts for fever and respiratory symptoms.

No further information about the patient will be released.

Osborne County residents can stay informed by visiting&nbsp;<a href="http://www.osbornecounty.org/" target="_blank">www.osbornecounty.org</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus" target="_blank">www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus" target="_blank">http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus</a>.

For general information, contact the KDHE phone bank at 1-866-534-3463 (1-866-KDHEINF) or email&nbsp;COVID-19@ks.gov.&nbsp;You may also contact the Osborne County Health Department at 785-346-2412.

OSBORNE - The Osborne County Health Department has announced the first case of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Osborne County, in a news release late Thursday afternoon from Carla Mans, RN administrator.The case involves a female over age 60 with recent out-of-state travel.The Osborne County Health Department is working to identify any close contacts of the individual and those who were exposed will be contacted as soon as possible.They will be monitoring these contacts for fever and respiratory symptoms.No further information about the patient will be released.Osborne County residents can stay informed by visiting&nbsp;<a href="http://www.osbornecounty.org/" target="_blank">www.osbornecounty.org</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus" target="_blank">www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus" target="_blank">http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus</a>.For general information, contact the KDHE phone bank at 1-866-534-3463 (1-866-KDHEINF) or email&nbsp;COVID-19@ks.gov.&nbsp;You may also contact the Osborne County Health Department at 785-346-2412.

Osborne Co. reports first coronavirus case

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