The Chautauqua County Health Department and Office of Emergency Services are holding a drive-thru event to distribute the free COVID-19 rapid at-home test kits from 1 to 4:00 p.m., Sunday, February 27 in the parking lot of the Office of Emergency Services building at 2 Academy Street in Mayville.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit https://chqgov.com.

The local municipalities who requested the test kits and masks will then organize their own distribution efforts to get the items out to their residents.

This effort is part of Chautauqua County’s multi-layered approach to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 during this period of heightened community transmission.

The Chautauqua County Office of Emergency Services began delivering the items to local municipalities last week with the City of Jamestown receiving 500 test kits, the City of Dunkirk – 250 test kits, each town will receiving 100 test kits, and each village receiving 50 test kits.

The City of Jamestown will hold two more drive-thru distribution events today for test kits. Those will take place at 3pm at Christ First United Methodist Church and at 5pm at the Allen Park Rink parking lot.

The test kits are first come, first served.

Chautauqua County officials continue to advise residents to wear masks while in indoor public locations, especially when social distancing is not possible. They also strongly recommend frequent hand washing, social distancing, staying home when ill, and being tested for COVID-19.

DUNKIRK – The Chautauqua County Office of Emergency Services is monitoring the high levels of Lake Erie as it continues to rise.

Lake Erie is at levels 30 inches above the long term average level for the month of May. The high water level is due to persistent wet conditions and high stream flows this spring.

Nearly all the Great Lakes are currently seeing their daily levels higher than average, with some reaching a record high monthly mean levels for May.

Through the New York State Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, the Chautauqua County Office of Emergency Services has 10,000 unfilled sandbags as a precaution if Lake Erie continues to rise.

The sandbags and a filling machine will be stored in Dunkirk for rapid deployment if needed.

“With Memorial Day Weekend and the beginning of the summer season upon us, residents and visitors should be aware of high water levels while still enjoying all of the great activities in and around Lake Erie,” said George Borrello, Chautauqua County Executive. “I thank our partners at the state for their assistance in emergency preparedness and also our Federal partners including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for monitoring the situation.”

The Chautauqua County Office of Emergency Services will continue to monitor the lake levels and shoreline. The Lake Erie Water levels are expected to remain high into the summer season as all the Great Lakes are experiencing high water levels.

MAYVILLE – With a High Wind Warning issued by the National Weather Service in Buffalo for Chautauqua County for Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., the Chautauqua County Office of Emergency Services and Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan are reminding residents to use caution and be prepared.

Wind gusts are expected to be up to 60 mph. These strong winds could result in downed trees and powerlines, scattered power outages, and property damage.

Residents are encouraged to secure or bring in any loose items outdoors that could be blown away by the wind.

If an outage occurs, residents can reduce the risk of fire by using flashlights in the dark and not candles. They should also eliminate unnecessary travel, especially by car, as traffic lights will be out and roads may be congested. Appliances, equipment or electronics that were in use when the power goes out should be turned off and disconnected. This will prevent damage to the equipment, which could occur if there is a surge or spike when the power comes back on. Individuals should also leave one light turned on so they will know when the power comes back on.

Individuals who are using a generator should ensure that the device is kept outdoors and in a well ventilated area. It should always be kept away from doors, windows and vents to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning from coming indoors.

If electrical power lines are down, don’t touch them. Keep your family and pets away and report downed lines to your utility company.

National Grid customers can report power outages by calling 1-800-NIAGARA. They can also view the Outage Map online at www.nationalgridus.com/Upstate-NY-Business/Storms-Outages/Outage-Map. This map shows outages in their area, if a crew has already been assigned to the area, and estimated restoration times.

“Public participation in the planning process is critical to the successful development and implementation of the County’s comprehensive strategy to reduce vulnerability to hazards,” said Julius Leone, Director of Chautauqua County Emergency Services.

Hazard mitigation is sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property from hazards.

The County’s Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan identifies natural hazards that impact our community such as floods, severe storms, tornadoes, and hazardous materials incidents; identified actions the County and community can take to reduce the impact of those hazards; and establishes a process for implementing the plan.

For access to the plan, please visit the Chautauqua County Emergency Services website at www.chautcofire.org.

That’s according to the Chautauqua County Department of Health & Human Services and Office of Emergency Services, which are advising all residents to be prepared for issues related to flooding as warmer weather moves into the area, starting as early as next week.

“Conditions such as this can turn dangerous at any time and we urge everyone to take the necessary precautions to protect their health and safety,” said Christine Schuyler, County Director of Health & Human Services.

Moving Flood Water

During flooding, the greatest threat comes from moving water. The deeper the moving water, the greater the threat. People should avoid driving in moving water, regardless of the size of their vehicle.

Pooling Flood Water

A pair of vehicles sit stranded near the intersection of Tiffany Ave. and Allen Streets in Jamestown, following the heavy rain that fell on the area May 21, 2014.

Heavy rain causes flood waters to rise and pool on streets and throughout neighborhoods. In these situations, be aware of the following:

• Road surfaces become obscured, and drivers can unknowingly steer into a deep body of water, such as a canal or pond.
• Electricity from streetlights and power poles may be active through standing water, causing a deadly shock to anyone coming in contact with it.
• Children playing in contaminated standing water can become sick or be bitten by snakes or floating insects.
• People coming into contact with floodwaters should thoroughly rinse any exposed body parts with soap and sanitized or disinfected water.

Contaminated Water Supply

Drinking contaminated water may cause illness. Listen to local announcements on safety of the water supply. If necessary, a boil water notice will be issued for your area. People in these areas should take precautions to avoid contaminated water, especially individuals with private wells. If your well is in a flooded area, your water may contain disease-causing organisms and may not be safe to drink. Please follow these recommendations:

• Boil water for at least one minute before using it for drinking, washing, cooking, etc.; OR
• Disinfect water by adding 8 drops (about 1/8 tsp – this would form a puddle about the size of a dime) of unscented household bleach per gallon of water, and then let it stand for 30 minutes. If the water is cloudy after 30 minutes, repeat the procedure; OR
• Use only bottled water, especially for mixing baby formula.

After the flooding subsides:

• Disinfect your well using the procedures available from the DHHS/Public Health Division or provided online at www.nyhealth.gov; and
• Have your water tested by DHHS/Public Health Division or by a laboratory certified by New York State to perform a drinking water analysis.

Contaminated Food

Do not eat any food that may have come into contact with floodwaters. Discard any food without a waterproof container if there is any chance that it has come into contact with floodwaters. Undamaged, commercially canned foods can be saved if you remove the labels thoroughly, wash the cans, and then disinfect them with a solution consisting of 1/4 cup of unscented household bleach per gallon of water for clean surfaces. Re-label your cans, including the expiration date, with a marker. Food containers with screw-caps, snap lids and home canned foods should be discarded if they have come in contact with floodwaters because they cannot be disinfected.

Contaminated Items

Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples and pacifiers. There is no way to safely clean them if they have come in contact with contaminated floodwaters. Thoroughly wash metal pans, ceramic dishes and utensils with soap and hot water and sanitize by boiling them in clean water or by immersing them for 15 minutes in a solution of 1/4 cup of household bleach per gallon of water.

Hygiene

Basic hygiene is very important during natural disaster. Always wash your hands with soap and water that has been boiled or disinfected and cooled. Hands should be washed before preparing or eating food, after using the bathroom or changing a diaper, after handling uncooked food, after playing with a pet, after handling garbage, after tending to someone who is sick or injured, after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing, after participating in flood cleanup activities, and after handling articles contaminated with flood water or sewage.

For further information, please contact the Chautauqua County Department of Health & Human Services, Public Health Division at 1-866-604-6789. A quick reference guide for flooding is available on the Health Department’s website: www.co.chautauqua.ny.us or www.health.ny.gov/publications/2708.pdf.