City using PPE for fire, police

Sandpoint City Council’s special meeting on April 8 was brief, updating the public on this week’s changes related to COVID-19. As of 4:45 p.m. Wednesday no new cases have been reported in Bonner County, keeping the city at a phase three approach or no community transmission of the novel coronavirus in all three cases reported in the area.

Bonner General Health has also reported 143 tests administered and all of these patients tested negative for COVID-19, with 19 test additional results pending in the lab.

Since the weekend Sandpoint’s fire department is no longer responding to Emergency Medical Services’ advanced life support calls within the city of Sandpoint limits.

Sandpoint City Administrator Jennifer Stapleton said this decision was followed by recommendation of Bonner County EMS Medical Director Ronald Jenkins.

“Rather than responding to calls and staging at the scene ... currently we have moved to staging within the firehouse for when those calls come in,” Stapleton said, “with the purpose of this being preserving our Personal Protection Equipment and reducing risk to our firefighters.”

Stapleton said if significant calls for COVID-19 related symptoms increase, there may be further changes implemented.

The Sandpoint Police Department began carrying masks in person as opposed to just in their vehicles this week. Police officers have three cloth and medical grade N95 masks, and the fire department is using PPE as well. Stapleton said the city is still looking to obtain more PPE for their workers.

In order to promote safe social distancing and hinder improper contact in recreational zones such as Sandpoint’s public parks, the city has made signs to remind the public of CDC recommendations.

“We are a community that appreciates our recreation and we are doing our best to keep our parks and trails open,” Stapleton said.

The meeting concluded with a message from Sandpoint Mayor Shelby Rognstad on the city’s finances. “We do not anticipate any recommendations about dipping into (emergency and federal) reserves at this point,” he said.

There has been no financial change from last week’s treasurer report.

Aly De Angelus can be reached by email at adeangelus@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @AlyDailyBee.