The air quality index value is expected to be greater than 170 for fine particulates on Thursday, indicating a highly unsafe level.

The Chautauqua County Health Department strongly recommends staying indoors or limiting time outdoors if possible with AQIs greater than 150, if the haze appears thick, or you smell smoke.

Governor Kathy Hochul, at a briefing Wednesday night, said these conditions will affect everyone, regardless of age, “So, we’re recommending that people cancel their outdoor activities. We know that some of the baseball games have been canceled. Outdoor activities from professional sports are canceled. And just plan your exercise even around this. You don’t need to go out and run tonight. You don’t need to go out and take a walk. You don’t need to push the baby in the stroller. This is not a safe time to do that. I want to reiterate that.”

The poor air quality issues are due to smoke entering the state from a high number of wildfires in Canada. Hochul spoke with Canadian Consul General Tom Clark, who informed her that in comparison to an average 10 year period, the number of fires being experiencing right now is up 14,000 percent.

Clark said as of Wednesday there are 285 fires right now in Canada, with 175 that are considered out of control.

Hochul has offered to deploy fire rangers to Canada which is being considered by the Consul General’s office.

County Chief Medical Officer and Interim Public Health Director Dr. Michael Faulk said, “If you are physically able to smell smoke, there is a good chance the AQI is greater than 150. Although these levels are unlikely to cause immediate or life threatening symptoms, there may be individuals who could experience worsening symptoms of their underlying respiratory disease.”

Faulk reccomends people limit the use of window fans and keep windows closed with air purifiers on if you have one.”

Those with questions should consult with their family physician for specific health concerns.

More information can be found on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s website and the New York State Department of Health’s website .

You can also check the air quality online at www.airnow.gov.

James Quattrone

Chautauqua County has received the state’s accreditation from the National Commission on Correctional Health Care.

Sheriff Jim Quattrone announced the accreditation designation to the County Legislature at their monthly meeting on May 24. He said Chautauqua County is one of under five counties in New York State to have the designation.

Quattrone said there are minimum health care standards set in the jail, “This basically, expectations and standards of our medical staff and mental health staff combined, working together, having joint medical records, so they’ve had to work extra hard.”

Quattrone said due to the county being accepted into a nationwide study by Harvard University, the costs of applying for the accreditation were covered by Harvard.

He thanked Public Health Director Dr. Michael Faulk, Community Health Nursing Director Kathy Burgess, Public Health Nurse Alison Epsin, as well as all of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene for their work in achieving this accreditation.

WRFA’s Julia Ciesla-Hanley speaks with Interim County Public Health Director Dr. Michael Faulk about the new County Health Assessment and Improvement Plan.

Interim Public Health Director Dr. Michael Faulk addresses Chautauqua County Legislature (December 21, 2022)

The Chautauqua County Legislature has approved two local laws creating management salary plans.

Human Resources Director Deb Makowski explained to the legislature that the two laws are to increase salary ranges, “Not salaries. So basically, the only financial impact to the two proposed local laws is six individuals who would then fall below the minimum of their newly assigned range. They would need to be bumped up to get to that minimum of the salary range. And that total impact cost will come out to $9,948.”

Legislator Liz Rankin voiced her support for the second of the two laws, saying whatever can be done for recruitment and retention of quality employees should be done.

Legislator Marty Proctor made a motion to amend a resolution to provide $99,962 in American Rescue Plan funding to reopen an isolation-quarantine housing project. His amendment aimed to clarify that people using the facility would be doing so on a voluntary basis.

Legislator Rankin said she and Proctor supported the amendment given past concerns, “There was a lot of public concern that this might be forced quarantine and for us, on county basis, to make sure that it’s voluntary. I think this is extremely important and so this amendment will confirm that to the public. That this is what we stand behind – to protect public and civil and independent rights.”

The resolution passed with the amendment

Interim Public Health Department Director and County Physician Dr. Michael Faulk was asked to clarify a resolution approving an agreement with the New York State Department of Health regarding the poliovirus vaccine.

Faulk said the agreement allows the county Health Department to accept supply of the Poliovirus vaccine from the state, “There are, there may be individuals in our county that decide for themselves that they would like to get the polio vaccine but may not have a physician or provider who can give that to them. We, as a Health Department, can offer that and the State will provide that vaccine to us. So, basically it’s just an agreement between Chautauqua County and the state for us to receive that vaccine.”

Faulk said the vaccine would be free and noted that there are currently no new cases of polio in Chautauqua County, although one had been discovered in Rockland County this summer. The legislature also passed this resolution.

The next meeting of the Chautauqua County Legislature will be their organizational meeting held at 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 3, 2023.

Chautauqua County

The five social services divisions of Department of Health and Human Services, including the divisions of Family and Children’s Services, and Transitional and Medical Assistance, will integrate with the Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene to form the Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene and Social Services.

In addition, the Division of Health will once again be a stand-alone department as the Chautauqua County Department of Health. It will include all County public health and disease prevention programs, Environmental Health Services, Coroners, and providing medical services to the County Jail and County Emergency Services.

Wendel said, “Many individuals and families often receive services from multiple areas of County Government and this restructuring will better integrate our mental hygiene and social services so that we are working on a united front to provide timely, accessible and quality care to County residents as we maximize our partnerships and improve community support systems.”

The changes, which are subject to the review by the Chautauqua County Legislature and New York State, are desired to take effect in early 2023.

Wendel also announced new leadership for these departments once the reorganization changes go into effect. Carmelo Hernandez will serve as Director of the Department of Mental Hygiene and Social Services and Dr. Michael Faulk will serve as Chautauqua County’s Chief Medical Officer and head of the Department of Health.

Dr. Lillian Ney (photo courtesy of Jamestown Community College)

The Chautauqua County Board of Health President is expressing concern for the County Health Department with the departure of Christine Schuyler.

Schuyler’s last day as Director of the County’s Department of Health and Human Services was Tuesday, November 29 following Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel‘s decision not to renew her contract.

Health Board President Dr. Lillian Ney said she learned from local school district representatives who attended the Board of Health’s meeting Monday, November 28 that Schuyler was an incredible asset to districts in the county during the COVID-19 Pandemic, “The State Health Department was changing rules right and left, and guidelines right and left. It was very confusing. It was a dilemma. It was a tremendous dilemma. And she (Christine) had a calming and common sense of approach to it that the schools really, really appreciated. And as the time grew nearer for her leaving, they were reaching out and saying, ‘Oh my goodness. What are we to do now?'”

Ney said one of her concerns is that there are three major illnesses going on in the public health arena currently with the surge in Influenza A cases, an increase in RSV, as well as COVID still being an issue in the county, “And now we have a deficiency I say, I don’t know if that’s the right word. But we’ve lost two outstanding performers in the Health Department. One is Christine, because Christine is now gone. And Bree Agett, who was our epidemiologist, who is really outstanding as well, she’s now gone. And I just heard yesterday, much to my despair I guess I would say, that we’re losing another of our outstanding nurses.”

Ney added that it is difficult to recruit people to work for the Health Department and that she prays there isn’t another major public health problem, “You know, to recruit to the Health Department at that level in terms of Christine’s ability and Bree Agett’s ability in epidemiology, how are we going to find folks like that in the county? Thankfully, Dr. Michael Faulk, who is a great guy, is going to be chairing the department. I think it’s on an interim basis for now perhaps, but more than likely maybe more going forward.”

Wendel has said further details about the reorganization of the Department of Health and Human Services with the Department of Mental Hygiene are expected in early 2023.

Christine Schuyler

The head of the Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services is out as the County plans to reorganize the department

Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel announced that Christine Schuyler would be departing as Director effective November 29, 2022. He said in a release that her current term expires at the end of the month and he made the decision to not reappoint her to another five-year term.

Schuyler first began her career with Chautauqua County in July 2008 when she was appointed as Public Health Director for the Chautauqua County Department of Public Health. She then took on the dual role of Commissioner of Social Services in June 2011 as the Department of Public Health and Department of Social Services began its merger into the Department of Health and Human Services. In November 2012, she was then appointed as the Director of the Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services.

With Schuyler’s departure, Wendel has assigned DHHS Physician Michael Faulk additional duties to act as Interim Public Health Director overseeing the Division of Public Health.  Deputy Commissioner of Social Services Jon Anderson will serve on an interim basis as Acting Social Services Commissioner overseeing the five social services divisions.

Wendel said he expects to announce the reorganization of the County’s human services departments by early next year.

Chautauqua County Officials speak at a COVID-19 Press Conference on March 15, 2020. L-R: Director of Emergency Services John Griffith, Sheriff James Quattrone, County Executive PJ Wendel, Commissioner of Health and Human Services Christine Schuyler, County Medical Director Dr. Michael Faulk. (Image courtesy of Dan Heitzenrater / County Executive’s Office)

MAYVILLE – Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel declared a State of Emergency at 5 p.m. on Sunday due to the novel Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19).

The local state of emergency will remain in effect for a period not to exceed thirty days or until rescinded, whichever occurs first, and may also be extended for additional periods not to exceed thirty days.

“I want to begin by stating there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Chautauqua County at this time,” said Wendel. “Although there are no cases within Chautauqua County to date, this situation is rapidly evolving, and the threat of this virus is imminent to the citizens and visitors of our county.  It is necessary that Chautauqua County be proactive and fully prepared to deal with its effects.”

COVID-19 is an infection associated with fever and signs and symptoms of pneumonia or other respiratory illness, and if spread in the population could have significant public health consequences.

The State of Emergency does not in any way impact travel and County operations will continue unchanged unless otherwise advised.  Local emergency orders may be enacted and public health recommendations may be issued subsequent to this declaration to protect life and property or to bring the emergency situation under control.

“I have established a County COVID-19 Response Team containing the appropriate public health and emergency services officials and staff that will be meeting and issuing updates to the public daily,” Wendel continued. “I also remind everyone of Governor Cuomo’s policy on social distancing; meaning public venues and establishments are limited to 50% or half their rated capacity.  For example, that means a restaurant normally rated for 100 patrons may now seat 50, and they should be spread out, not congregated in half the room.”

“We are now recommending that all school districts in Chautauqua County close to students on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 until further notice.  This is not a mandate, only a recommendation so it is up to each school district to decide,” said Chautauqua County Commissioner of Health and Human Services Christine Schuyler.

“This doesn’t mean that you take your kids to Splash Lagoon, or the mall, or out for dinner. This means we need to stay home, hunker down, and keep everyone as healthy as we can and get through this,” Schuyler added.

Schuyler also said the decision to recommend closing schools has been made in close collaboration with Erie 2 Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES Superintendent Dr. David O’Rourke, as well as other school superintendents.

“The decision was made for several reasons, one of them is to slow the spread of disease among groups of students in confined spaces. This decision was not made because we think that we are going to have terribly sick children or children that will have respiratory issues that we are seeing in older people,” Schuyler added.

Schuyler continued, “COVID-19 seems to be targeting the older population, not our kids – but our kids are great transmitters. The germs that they have on them can easily spread to those that really can’t fight them away as well as our kids can. We need to protect our vulnerable populations – our older adults and those with underlying health conditions, compromised immune systems, and pregnant women.”

“Due to the nature in which viruses including COVID-19 spread, we should all limit our public interaction, especially if you have symptoms,” said Dr. Michael Faulk, Chautauqua County Medical Director.  “That means avoiding crowded spaces, limiting trips to the store, maybe skipping your usual night out or postponing family parties.  If you do have symptoms or are concerned, please call your healthcare provider ahead and they will instruct you on how to proceed.”

“I want to begin by reminding everyone to please be kind to one another,” said Chautauqua County Sheriff James Quattrone.  “Only buy what you need, there are currently no disruptions in the grocery store supply chain.  Also, do not call 911 for general Coronavirus concerns or information, to ensure the emergency lines are open and available for emergencies.  The State Health Department COVID-19 hotline is 1-888-364-3065.  We are also taking precautions in the jail to ensure our staff and inmates are protected, including ceasing face-to-face visitations while allowing additional phone time.”

Chautauqua County Director of Emergency Services John Griffith concluded by stating, “I would like to thank the First Responders in Chautauqua County for all they do.  Volunteer and Career Fire and EMS providers are ready to respond in this time of concern.  The Office of Emergency Services is working with NYS Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services to insure that resources are moved into Chautauqua County as needed.  I have been in contact with neighboring counties and can report that all Counties in Western NY are all working to be prepared for what may come.”