THE VOICE OF THE TOWNSHIP
If you have ever tried to heed the advice in “practice makes perfect,” you can understand the painstaking effort the Wayne Township Trustee’s Office has labored to be ready for a community emergency. While many citizens would believe that a Township Trustee’s primary responsibility would cease after assisting individuals with low income, it’s really far more inclusive. Quite often the need transcends income. When a citizen with otherwise adequate means experiences extraordinary challenges, they need help and we do our best to be prepared to assist them.
As I have mentioned before, our Community Liaison invites key individuals from agencies or services in our area to address our staff on issues that can help us better serve the citizens of Wayne Township. Over the last seven years, we have acquired knowledge from practically every community resource available. We have also reciprocated by exchanging knowledge about our operation and services with their staff as well.
Every now and then, a presentation has an astonishing impact on our staff. The discussion following the impact of the presentation recently given by Allen County Health Commissioner Dr. Deborah McMahan prompted me to request her to give the same presentation to our community agencies. Dr. McMahan graciously agreed. On August 2, 2006, numerous agencies gathered at Indiana-Purdue University in Fort Wayne to hear her Pandemic Flu Preparedness presentation.
Why all the concern and discussion? Every year, the common flu kills close to 40,000 Americans and hospitalizes more than 200,000. A pandemic flu is an outbreak or epidemic of flu that occurs over a wide geographic area and affects a large percentage of the population. It could infect 25 to 30% of the population. It is a virus for which no one has immunity and for which no vaccine is available. It can take up to six months to develop a vaccine and during this time period, the medicine being utilized to treat the virus will most likely be in short supply.
The H5N1 “Bird Flu” mentioned frequently in the headlines has so far been lethal in about 57% of the cases. Even though there are a relatively small number of cases nationally, the H5N1 Bird Flu could become a pandemic if it mutated into a form that could easily spread from person to person. This, although very unlikely, is still possible. At its worst, with an infection rate of 30% of the population and a 57% mortality rate, it could cause death to better than 17% of our local citizens. In Wayne Township alone, that would be about 19,720 of our neighbors.
If a pandemic flu were to occur, many citizens would be unable to work and places of business could be closed. With a loss of income, households would be in need of assistance with the cost(s) of shelter, utility(s), medication(s), food, and burial(s). These are all basic living necessities that the Wayne Township Trustee’s Office deals with everyday for people in emergency conditions. This would certainly constitute an emergency. This is why our staff was greatly affected by Dr. McMahan’s presentation and resulted in my request for a repeat presentation for other local agencies.
While our staff has been working hard to prepare itself to serve you in the event of an emergency such as the pandemic flu, we’ve had additional requests by agencies not able to attend on August 2nd for an encore presentation by Dr. McMahan. We are also trying to arrange for a presentation to the leaders of our local churches.
It may seem like a lot of work for an emergency with such a low probability of occurrence, but many other emergencies would resemble this in preparation and response by the township. If you start to add up several small probabilities, they eventually add up to a reasonably possible one. So, “practice makes perfect,” and we will continue to strive for perfection, in order to serve you best.
Our sincere gratitude to Allen County Commissioners Linda Bloom, Marla Irving and Nelson Peters for their wisdom of choice in having Dr. Deborah McMahan serve as Allen County Health Commissioner. She has done an incredible job to help our community prepare for and deal with health emergencies. A Pandemic Flu Preparedness Guide will soon be available for families. For more information, you can visit the pandemic flu web site at www.fighttheflu.org.
Oh, and by the way, Allen County needs volunteers who are trained and ready to respond in a crisis. If you would like to help, contact one of these agencies:
•Allen County Citizen Corps/Medical Reserve Corps. 424-3505
•American Red Cross of Northeast Indiana 480-8218
•Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health. Go to www.fw-aacdeptofhealth.com and click on the link “Volunteering for the Community”.
Your help, support, calls and suggestions are always welcome and greatly appreciated. You’ve helped us become the model Township for all of Indiana! Once again, as we continue to build a better community one citizen at a time; thanks, we couldn’t do it without you.
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