‘Not a normal type of disaster’: County’s emergency management director reflects on months of preparation

HANOVER–Jo Daviess County Emergency Management Director Chuck Pedersen is one of those individuals who’s changed direction in an instant.

“This was not a normal type of disaster,” said Pedersen. “We thought the worst was going to happen.”

Pedersen began mobilizing community groups in March to discuss and prepare for the impending pandemic.

“My role is changing,” said Pedersen. “It has become more logistics, who needs what and how do I get it to them.”

In March, the county board approved a disaster declaration which allowed Pedersen to begin using different funding and utilize the emergency operations center to let the state know Jo Daviess County was ready.

“Fortunately, our county was not hit like other counties,” said Pedersen. “Other counties were totally decimated by this. I think it is a great example of collaboration, cooperation and coordination of police, fire, ambulance, the hospital, public health and other agencies.”

Pedersen said public health played a large role in the county’s response to COVID-19.

“Instead of me being the incident commander, public health became equal for this incident,” said Pedersen. “We helped each other in identifying what needed to be done.”

Pedersen had calls with county officials and emergency responders three times per week at the onset of COVID-19. Pedersen also participated in calls with regional emergency management and twice per week had a meeting with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA). Pedersen said the county call with the hospital is now weekly.

On a daily basis, Pedersen has to prepare a situation report for IEMA on how many cases were in the county and other information on the county’s response.

“The biggest thing that came up was the PPE (personal protective equipment) and nobody was prepared for that,” said Pedersen. “The state was not prepared for it.”

 

PPE procurement

During the PPE procurement phase of the pandemic, Pedersen was directed to prepare the logistics for PPE distribution for emergency officials in the county.

Pedersen’s biggest challenge has been making sure everyone has necessary equipment.

“I had to figure out how to get it and how would we get it distributed,” said Pedersen. “I had to go online and order PPE and it would be delivered here and I would work with every agency to get what they needed to get the gowns, face masks, gloves and other supplies they needed.”

Pedersen uses a government supply website regularly to order supplies for area agencies.

“We have 102 counties in this state. Each EMA goes in there and orders everything they possibly can. The state changed how this takes place,” said Pedersen. “They had to start getting supplies, too.”

Pedersen said at the beginning of the pandemic he would receive partial orders. When ordering 2,000 masks, he might have only received 200. This got better as the pandemic progressed and items became more readily available.

About a month ago, IEMA started asking local EMAs for their burn rate, which is how many PPE supplies are used in a month. The burn rate set how many Pedersen could order.

“We still have to watch this,” said Pedersen. “I have to stockpile that in case there is a second wave. They are anticipating a second wave, which they think might hit in October. They are asking me to build up a stockpile for that.”

Pedersen thinks he has enough stockpiled for the county to get through a second wave.

Recently, the question came up about supplying schools. According to Pedersen, the federal government will supply schools with equipment, but items will be sent to Pedersen for him to disperse.

“So far in the county, we have taken care of long-term care facilities, hospitals, ambulance, fire and police,” said Pedersen. “Funeral homes if they require it. We have been doing pretty well.

Pedersen said the state told local emergency managers to watch supplies as the state would no longer be able to provide items for free.”

Pedersen said the emergency operations center is still in activation mode, but hours have been scaled back.

Pedersen said another issue initially was the limited test kits that were made available to the county and local hospitals.

 

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Protecting the county

According to Pedersen, his main focus is protecting people in the county and making sure everyone is safe.

Pedersen has also mobilized the agency’s Unified Command Post which has been used at testing in Elizabeth. He has offered the vehicle to the state for testing as well.

Communication has been another important role that Pedersen has played.

“We have used CodeRed and local media to get the word out, so people know what is going on,” said Pedersen.

Pedersen said the county is fortunate not to have been swamped by cases like other counties, but he thinks the county would be ready if large numbers were to occur.

“Going forward, IEMA has come up with a lot of new things that have to be done,” said Pedersen.

These new things include a pandemic plan that each county needs to adopt. Also, a change in protocol is likely for IEMA. Continuity of government and backing up government offices has also been an important part of what IEMA will expect from counties in the future.

“They are asking for more responsibility and accreditation from local EMAs,” said Pedersen. “When we have a disaster, everything starts and ends in your county. IEMA has been pressed hard because FEMA is pressing them and it is coming down to us. Counties will be held responsible for what goes on.”

Pedersen has been available 24 hours per day and has been at the office on Saturdays and Sundays to unload the truck when PPE is delivered.

“I just wanted to keep up with everyone,” said Pedersen. “I wanted to keep up with what they need. If they want it, I will find it.”

 

Cooperation

Pedersen said social distancing was put in place to ensure hospitals aren’t at capacity.

Pedersen thinks the majority of the people in the county realize the severity of the virus and that it is something to take seriously.

“In our case, our hospital can be flooded quickly,” said Pedersen. “All of that has to be working together.”

Pedersen and public health administrator Sandra Schleicher have been working together throughout the pandemic and they both make sure that agencies and health workers in the county are adequately prepared.

“We work together to fix any problems,” said Pedersen. “Everyone has been cooperative.”

Pedersen praises the work Schleicher has done in organizing the response and plans for the county and said he has been impressed with the work she has done in a short period of time.

Pedersen also had to prepare an alternative housing plan through his office in preparation of the potential of individuals not being able to live at their home due to a family member having COVID.

Pedersen said he reached out to local hotels and had good cooperation from area hotels and churches.

“This was for people who were not sick, but could not go home,” said Pedersen.

Pedersen was impressed by the response from other businesses in the area who lent their support for supplies, including Blaum Brothers providing hand sanitizer.

Pedersen said he recently received an email that Anheuser-Busch would be donating 290 eight-ounce bottles of hand sanitizer and 29-gallon bottles for the elections.

“All this time the hospitals were involved in the process they were involved in the calls and would discuss what was going on,” said Pedersen. “We worked together to figure out what was needed. It has been hectic and trying at times.”

Pedersen has learned a tremendous amount during this pandemic.

He said the processes have improved throughout the pandemic at the local and state level.

“Being involved in this from day one and how the agencies work together and quickly coming together to help the county has been very positive,” said Pedersen. “We have made it through this far. I think we have done well.”