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Barnstable County Monitors Storm Warnings in Addition to Responding to COVID-19

BARNSTABLE COUNTY

REGIONAL EMERGENCY PLANNING COMMITTEE

SUPERIOR COURT HOUSE

POST OFFICE BOX 427

BARNSTABLE, MA 02630

BCREPC Media Release  

Barnstable County Regional Emergency Planning Committee

Media Release 005 – COVID-19

April

 For Immediate Release

 

Barnstable County Monitors Storm Warnings in Addition to Responding to COVID-19 

BARNSTABLE (MA) April 3, 2020 – The Barnstable County Regional Emergency Planning Committee (BCREPC) held a conference call on Thursday, April 2, 2020, at 4:00 p.m. to review the current COVID-19 conditions, discussed ongoing response efforts in the county, and assessed storm weather conditions expected for Friday. Individuals present on the call included over 100 representatives from agencies across Cape Cod’s 15 towns and Nantucket, including elected officials, representatives from Cape Cod Healthcare and several nonprofits engaged in responding to COVID-19.

Updates and guidance

BCREPC Multi-Agency Coordination Center (MACC) continues to operate as a limited activation in response to COVID-19 from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM daily. The MACC is also monitoring  Weather Warnings. A High Wind Warning and Coastal Flood Warning are currently in effect for Cape Cod this morning through this evening.  Northeast wind gusts up to 60 mph are expected for Cape Cod and the Islands and increasing rough seas with minor to moderate coastal flooding during Friday morning’s high tide. There will be possible downed trees and power lines, and power outages are possible.  Barnstable County Regional Emergency Planning Committee will be monitoring the storm and will be ready to assist communities as needed.

As a result of weather, the COVID-19 outdoor testing site at Cape Cod Community College will be closed today, Friday, April 3. Testing will resume on Saturday, April 4 and expanded hours will be added as necessary.

The MACC continues to focus its efforts on assisting with resource requests, especially for personal protective equipment (PPE), for the COVID-19 test site at Cape Cod Community College, supporting testing operations with Cape Cod Healthcare, and handling resources for first responders.

According to Massachusetts Department of Public Health, there were 283 positive cases in Barnstable County at the time of this call and 3 deaths on Cape Cod.

The BCREPC wants to ensure that Barnstable County residents know that a coordinated response is taking place in our region.  The general public is asked to practice social distancing, consistent hand-washing, and other recommendations for prevention made by Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

For updated information, please visit www.barnstablecountyhealth.org/ and www.mass.gov/2019coronavirus

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Barnstable County Regional Emergency Planning Committee (BCREPC)

The BCREPC was founded in September 2002 to assist the communities on Cape Cod and the Town of Nantucket with addressing hazardous materials emergency planning and response as required by the federal government. Today, the BCREPC has expanded its scope to include “All Hazard” emergency planning issues such as storm response, sheltering and grants management. The BCREPC is a coalition of emergency management, law enforcement, fire service, health care, public health, public works, EMS, military, and numerous other affiliated agencies as outlined by the Massachusetts State Emergency Response Committee (SERC). It represents the towns of Barnstable, Bourne, Brewster, Chatham, Dennis, Eastham, Falmouth, Harwich, Mashpee, Orleans, Provincetown, Sandwich, Truro, Wellfleet, and Yarmouth in Barnstable County, and the town of Nantucket in Nantucket County. The REPC is coordinated by the Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment. Visit www.bcrepc.org