By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Like many governing bodies and organizations are doing across the state, country, and globe, the City of Great Bend prepared their COVID-19 emergency plans.
There are no confirmed positive cases in Barton County, but the Great Bend City Council decided if a case appears within 60 miles of Great Bend, then their coronavirus action plan will go into place.
City Administrator Kendal Francis says his staff is making sure they stay home when sick, limit travel and are establishing remote work possibilities to keep the city afloat in case isolation methods are needed.
"We are not in any panic mode and these are not actions of fear," said Francis. "This is an abundance of caution. We will not know if we overreact but we will know if we did not act quick enough or to a high enough degree."
If a coronavirus case is confirmed within 60 miles of Great Bend, City Hall, The Front Door, Great Bend Events Center, Brit Spaugh Zoo, and Wetlands Waterpark would all be closed until further notice. First responders have also been given special instructions on how to respond to subjects that may have been exposed to the virus.
"We are still public servants and we are going to do everything we can to serve the public first," said Francis. "I have instructed staff to use social distancing. We are not trying to be standoffish. We are going to keep physical distance as we engage with you in person."
The KCAC already notified the City of Great Bend their organization has cancelled the Baseball and Softball Tournaments at the Great Bend Sports Complex. Francis expected more large gatherings, including the Kansas State High School Activities Association Class 2-1A Baseball State Tournament to be cancelled. The Great Bend Farm & Ranch Expo scheduled in the second week of April is in question.
Fire Chief Luke McCormick cautioned citizens to not be alarmed if EMS crews respond to calls wearing gowns, gloves and masks. The effort is a universal precaution because staff does not want to chance getting quarantined.