HomeMy WebLinkAboutchat14:51:19 From BOH Meeting to Amanda Grace (she/her)(Direct Message) : Since you're not in the chambers, and the minutes were approved, will you approve that I stamp your signature
as "Approved Telephonically"?
15:31:37 From Josh Peters, Community Development to Hosts and panelists : https://www.commerce.wa.gov/serving-communities/growth-management/periodic-update/
15:31:51 From Josh Peters, Community Development to Hosts and panelists : https://www.commerce.wa.gov/serving-communities/growth-management/growth-management-topics/climate-change-2/
15:32:51 From Josh Peters, Community Development to Hosts and panelists : https://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/1708/2025-Periodic-Update
14:30:10 And get on zoom. Glen.
14:30:53 Help, with.
14:30:56 Anything I can help with.
14:30:58 Ab. Capture just shut down, and it's been so long since I had to fiddle with it that I'm not quite sure.
14:31:17 Awesome crashes on me.
14:31:20 Turn on the recording.
14:32:19 80 cats can shut down.
14:32:24 Zoom is still growing. Yeah.
14:32:28 Hi, everyone! I'm here!
14:32:31 Oh, good Hi! Amanda!
14:32:33 Hi.
14:32:35 Okay. I'll just
14:32:43 Everybody here.
14:32:46 Everybody here, just fine.
14:32:50 Well, Greg, can you hear us? All right.
14:32:53 Alright! I guess that's fine.
14:32:54 Yes, I can hear you.
14:32:56 Thank you.
14:32:58 I mean. I opened it up again, and it says Commissioner's meeting.
14:33:04 Okay.
14:33:07 Okay? Bye.
14:33:11 All right. We have.
14:33:14 Quorum.
14:33:18 As quarry as it's gonna get.
14:33:22 Now I'm.
14:33:23 Not able to get online.
14:33:26 And I lost my agenda.
14:33:32 I might need. Yeah, take it back. I'm sorry no worries. I thought I was.
14:33:42 It's okay. I can just.
14:33:49 Welcome everyone. I'll call this meeting of the Jefferson County Board of Health to order.
14:33:54 Nice to see you all
14:33:58 Well, let's jump right into public comment, which, sorry to say, Glenn, I can't hook up to the zoom, so I won't need your help.
14:34:07 To see if there are any public who would like to provide comment on Zoom, you'll hit. Raise hand at the bottom of your screen, and we don't have anyone in the room here. Assuming
that neither Tinky nor want to be.
14:34:19 Considered members of the public.
14:34:22 And I see no one raising their hand.
14:34:26 Alright!
14:34:28 Give it another minute. Anyone wish to provide public comments. Please raise hand at the bottom of your screen.
14:34:36 And blended. Send out some public comments.
14:34:40 Does anyone wish to respond to any of the public comment we received.
14:34:46 This one.
14:34:49 Alright!
14:34:53 We always welcome public comment here at the Board of Health, and also via email.
14:34:59 Okay, we have an agenda before us. Any changes.
14:35:05 etc.
14:35:11 Seeing none.
14:35:13 I'll call for approval of the agenda. Please.
14:35:17 So moved.
14:35:17 Uproot.
14:35:18 I said it.
14:35:18 I'll second.
14:35:21 Yeah. Moved by Greg. Seconded.
14:35:24 Amanda.
14:35:25 Amanda. Hi there! All those in favor say, aye.
14:35:30 Good.
14:35:31 Alright!
14:35:32 Any of any opposed.
14:35:33 Alright. Agenda is approved.
14:35:36 We have some minutes from the June 20th Board of Health Meeting. Thank you to Amanda for sharing for me. I think the last couple of meetings.
14:35:47 Edits.
14:35:49 Suggestions. Discussion on the Minutes.
14:35:51 From June 20.th
14:35:54 If not, vote in a motion to approve.
14:35:57 A move that we approve. The minutes from June 20, th as presented.
14:36:00 A second.
14:36:02 Yeah.
14:36:03 Any further discussion.
14:36:05 All those in favor, please say aye.
14:36:07 Check.
14:36:07 Alright!
14:36:07 Aye.
14:36:10 Minutes are approved.
14:36:15 We have the Jefferson County Public Health Report.
14:36:19 Did we lose Apple? I believe Apple's gonna hand it off to someone, anyway. But there's Apple.
14:36:24 Yeah.
14:36:25 Hi! I'm testing my audio to make sure you all can hear me loud and clear.
14:36:29 Sounds, great.
14:36:30 I
14:36:31 Thank you. I'm coming to you from Billingham. I am traveling with my husband in our camper to Canada for a long weekend.
14:36:39 Looking forward to it. It's beautiful weather, and Bellingham is nice.
14:36:45 I appreciate the opportunity to address you all today I want to take a moment to acknowledge Monica Micker, who is in the room today, and I'm sorry I'm not sitting there. I
would be sitting right beside you, Monica. If I were there in person, which I usually am. We want to welcome you to the Board of Health.
14:37:02 And expressly sort of point out that you're there as a representative of the city of Port Townsend.
14:37:09 From the city council, and we have had a few city council members kind of in rotation.
14:37:14 A little more frequently recently than usual, but excited to have you and love that you'd like to come in person. You.
14:37:23 Came and visited with Glen and I, the clerk of the board last week, and we had a wonderful discussion about orienting toward the board.
14:37:31 And I just wanna express and extend how excited we are that you joined us. So thank you.
14:37:39 I am next going to give my usual update from public health. But honestly, this time I'm gonna pass it over.
14:37:45 So every quarter, about every 3 months thereabouts, we attempt to pull together as many staff in the department as.
14:37:55 Are able
14:37:58 To comment on various successes.
14:38:01 Milestones, data, tabulation and projects that different programs in our health department are working on.
14:38:10 Every quarter. It's a different smattering of folks, and I think it's been a real great effort to get everybody in public health all 50 plus of our employees to contribute at
any given time.
14:38:20 To this quarterly highlights, real, as we like to call it.
14:38:25 We promote it here at the Board of Health. We also promote it at our staff meetings, and we have it posted to social media as well. You can find it on our Facebook and Instagram
feeds.
14:38:36 So I'd like this time instead of.
14:38:39 Telling it to you and showing it to you myself. I'm gonna actually have our.
14:38:45 Communications team that's comprised of Liz Anderson and Jordan Carter.
14:38:49 They're gonna take over and drive and show you the highlights that we lay as they are.
14:38:55 Highly responsible for putting this content together.
14:38:58 So take it away. Thank you.
14:39:01 Hi, thank you for having us the communications team, as Apple mentioned, wanted to share some of the great work our programs have accomplished over the last quarter.
14:39:16 On April 27th the Jefferson County's coalitions held medication. Take back events.
14:39:23 At the Qfcs. And Port Townsend, as well as the Quilstone Fire Station.
14:39:29 The purpose of these events is to provide an opportunity for community members to anonymously dispose of unused.
14:39:37 Unnecessary or expired medications.
14:39:41 They also provide community members. The opportunity to participate in Frieden overdose prevention training.
14:39:48 In total 63 pounds of medication were properly disposed of, which aids, in preventing.
14:39:54 In the prevention of accidental overdose and helps to protect our community waterways from pharmaceutical waste.
14:40:04 On May 10th our staff hosted a booth at the Jefferson County job, and Trades Fair, and connected with approximately 600 Jefferson County High School juniors and seniors, discussing
career paths and potential opportunities.
14:40:18 At public health.
14:40:19 Our goals were to promote awareness of health careers.
14:40:22 Encourage healthy lifestyle choices among students, and foster early engagement with future public health professionals.
14:40:34 On June 8th we attended Port Townsend, Pride at Marine Plaza, in downtown, Port Townsend.
14:40:40 We provided free sexual health supplies.
14:40:43 Provided free Naloxone and conducted overdose prevention training while sharing a variety of fun, pride themed giveaways.
14:40:52 Our efforts, aim to support public health, promote safety, and celebrate the vibrant diversity of our community.
14:41:02 Last year with Grant funding from the Department of Health, Jefferson County Public Health nicotine and cannabis team established a peer-to-peer education program.
14:41:12 In the Port Townsend School District.
14:41:14 This year the team expanded the program to the Chimicom school district.
14:41:19 In March high school volunteers were trained to present nicotine and cannabis to their younger peers.
14:41:25 The focus is on high school peers providing useful information to younger students to support each other in choosing behaviors.
14:41:33 That will keep.
14:41:35 They're developing brains healthy. The nicotine and cannabis team reached approximately 404th through 8th graders.
14:41:43 Between April and June.
14:41:45 Fun, engaging shame. Free science, based information presented by peers is a more effective way to present sensitive subjects. Like substance use prevention.
14:41:57 To sum up important concepts, one prizes as game show participants.
14:42:02 The prevention team plans to expand this effective peer-to-peer education program to Quilsteen and Brennan next year.
14:42:13 This. Here we are proudly celebrating 25 years of nurse family partnership services in Jefferson County.
14:42:21 Creating a world full of great people, raised by great mothers.
14:42:25 As the 1st county in Washington to have an Nfp program back in 1,999.
14:42:30 We are honored that we can continue to support our local families.
14:42:39 The training session, titled understanding and responding to acute behavioral health challenges.
14:42:44 Was intended by was attended by 33 Jcph. Staff at the port.
14:42:49 Hudson Pavilion on June 27.th
14:42:52 As part of the public Health workforce development efforts with funds from the Cdc. And Department of Health.
14:43:00 The session was led by Dr. Heather, Wisdom, Ms. Lmhc.
14:43:05 A designated crisis responder affiliated with discovery, health.
14:43:08 During the training and understanding of various mental health and substance, use disorder challenges, including how to recognize symptoms, causes, and impacts were increased.
14:43:21 Coping mechanisms and strategies for managing their own mental health and well-being were provided to the staff.
14:43:26 Along with skills for supporting and advocating for others, experiencing mental health challenges.
14:43:33 Additionally, de-escalation techniques for managing difficult situations in the workforce were emphasized.
14:43:39 So staff can better serve our community.
14:43:51 Phase, one of jump, the Jefferson movement, playground.
14:43:56 Was completed and open to the public. In November 22.
14:44:00 With play areas and equipment that are mostly for 5 to 12 year olds.
14:44:05 Board members in the county submitted a grant to the Dan Thompson Memorial Fund through the State Developmental Disabilities Administration.
14:44:13 To fund phase 2 of the playground.
14:44:16 Focusing on a play area for 2 to 5 year olds.
14:44:19 We are proud. We are proud to announce that a full grant request has been rewarded.
14:44:24 Stay tuned for updates on signing of the contract, and projected timeline for groundbreaking and completion of this new playground.
14:44:35 And our final highlight is how we are responding to climate change.
14:44:39 A climate summit was coordinated on May second through 3, rd with Jefferson County. Public health.
14:44:44 The department of Community Development.
14:44:47 Public works, Washington, State University extension.
14:44:51 The Department of Emergency management, and Jefferson County Commissioners, with 22 county employees in attendance.
14:44:58 The goal of the summit was to coordinate response across departments in Jefferson County.
14:45:04 Our climate and health team has been busy coordinating, cooling and safer air spaces across East Jefferson County to prepare for heat and smoke season.
14:45:13 Cooling centers will be available during high heat and poor air quality events. And I know that they're here to discuss this in further detail today.
14:45:22 Thank you so much for having us.
14:45:26 Thank you. Jordan and Liz.
14:45:28 Anyone have any questions or comments.
14:45:32 Think it's grand about second jump. Yeah.
14:45:37 An amazing playground.
14:45:39 I've become very
14:45:42 High up on the list of my grandchildren. They show up, and they wanna immediately leave town where I live. So that's for all of us here in the county. That's really us.
14:45:54 Yes, I'll be.
14:45:54 And and, I'd like to add, sorry don't know how to raise my hand on my phone here.
14:45:59 Very good point, Monica. So many people are loving this playground even at the phase that it's at phase 2 is coming.
14:46:06 We're so excited. I actually got the privilege of hearing from Bonnie's the director at Public Works.
14:46:14 Whose team is in charge of helping install.
14:46:17 The playground, and he did mention very clearly that it is one of the most complex.
14:46:23 Things they've built in our county, and I did not know that I was very taken with that, he said, even harder than building a bridge.
14:46:30 So.
14:46:31 Quite extraordinary. Lots of people's time effort into making the jump play around via reality and having worked in the space and children with special healthcare, needs.
14:46:42 For many years. I have to tell you.
14:46:44 But this play around is one of a kind, and people will come with their children from all over the State to visit this special type of playground, so.
14:46:56 Great.
14:46:58 Everyone.
14:47:01 Alright move quickly to a State Board of Health update and just a couple of things to report on.
14:47:08 We met last month. We've been doing a bit of a road show meeting around the State. And I'll I'll report on a couple of things that are local interest.
14:47:19 Alyssa Rose has come and spoken to the Board of Health previously about an interest in seeing holding tanks for Rbs be approved in in certain circumstances, and she has brought
that petition to the State Board of Health to consider. So currently
14:47:39 The
14:47:40 Well, sure. So currently the.
14:47:43 Pinky, you can help me out here. A local health jurisdiction can approve a holding tank for a commercial purpose, for emergency purposes, and while repairs are being done to
an existing septic system.
14:47:56 So she is petitioning that it be allowed for residential.
14:48:00 Everyone back.
14:48:01 Some sort. Mason County does allow that through a waiver process. And she's asking that the State Board of Health changed the rule, so that all counties are required to allow
holding tanks
14:48:17 The on site, septic team at Board of Health that is comprised of professionals like Pinky and some of her colleagues.
14:48:25 Have
14:48:27 Currently.
14:48:29 Express that they. They do not believe that this is a great idea to pursue, so.
14:48:33 But the board will be considering that in our august meeting.
14:48:37 Secondly.
14:48:39 Oh, I'm sorry. Let's see, Amanda, I see your hand up.
14:48:42 Yeah, I just. I just had a quick comment, because I don't know if I misheard you. I believe that Mason County only allows holding tanks for recreational use, not residential
use.
14:48:52 I may have misunderstood you.
14:48:59 Yeah.
14:48:57 And I can't really speak for Mason County the way that
14:49:01 The way that Alyssa Rose had.
14:49:03 Brought it up was that it was residential. They do have oh, I believe a waiver process. So yeah, but I don't know. Yeah.
14:49:14 We'd have to clarify.
14:49:16 Thank you.
14:49:17 I'll I'll dive deeper.
14:49:19 Thank you.
14:49:19 Honey, mute.
14:49:21 Another issue of importance in Jefferson County is an environmental, another environmental public health issue.
14:49:30 Which is we're working on rewriting the rule for time from harvest to cooling for shellfish, specifically, oysters due to potential for vibrio
14:49:44 Infection. Is that the right word? And apparently the shellfish industry is pushing back on some of this rule writing. There's an interest in.
14:49:55 Including Vibrificus, which is a more fatal strain of vibrio that showed up for the 1st time in the hood canal recently. The soft and widespread. There's not been any illness
associated with it, but it has been
14:50:10 Found in the in Washington for the 1st time. And the industry folks are nervous about creating regulation for something that's not yet a problem. So word of health is staff
are working with industry, trying to come to some reasonable rulemaking around that. So stay tuned, but obviously very important industry.
14:50:29 Here in Jefferson County. So report back on that.
14:50:34 I saw Michael's camera come on anything you have to add to that, Michael.
14:50:40 No, I.
14:50:41 Thank you.
14:50:41 Just in case there are questions. But thank you for that.
14:50:44 That bit of update.
14:50:46 Anything you want to add, or that I got wrong.
14:50:50 Well, Vibrio Parahemaliticus is the organism that we're most concerned about. That does cause illness, and we do get.
14:50:58 Illness cases in our county from time to time. I haven't heard about any this year yet, but.
14:51:06 And so this rule would also.
14:51:09 Help! Protect.
14:51:11 You know people from that.
14:51:14 Yeah.
14:51:18 Right.
14:51:19 I'll move on to our infectious disease. Update Dr. Barry.
14:51:23 Right? So just a couple infectious diseases gonna focus on today. And avian influenza we've talked about them before. You just keep up to date on what's going on with them.
So for COVID-19 many of us likely know someone who's gotten Covid in the last couple of weeks we are in the midst of a nationwide surge of COVID-19 activity really across the country,
and Washington is no different.
14:51:48 Including Jefferson County.
14:51:51 Thankfully. We are not seeing the level of surge department and hospitalization that we used to see so emergency departmentations and hospitalizations that we saw in city fall
for the winter. We are still seeing some. We have a small increase in ed visits in our region. But thankfully, that's starting to down trend. Now, which is hopeful. We do unfortunately
have 2 long term care facilities.
14:52:16 Outbreaks associated with this recent surge. Whenever we get a lot of COVID-19 in community, it gets into the long term care facilities. We go visit our family members and our
friends, and we bring it with us. And unfortunately, that population can get quite ill and can die.
14:52:32 We are still seeing very high levels of activity in our wastewater in the towns and wastewater monitoring for COVID-19. So what does that mean for us? Basically, now is a good
time to be thoughtful about our risk mitigation, particularly in crowded public settings. Many of us probably.
14:52:52 Might have stopped wearing masks for a period of time. And if we're in a very crowded setting, it's a good time to bring them back. If you're riding on a bus, if you're at a
conference we're seeing these mass events happen, you know, you go to a big multi 100 person conference. And then you just hear from all your friends that they got Covid when you have
a lot a lot of people in an indoor space. Some of them have Covid churches and other places.
14:53:17 COVID-19 so there's no reason to skip activities but do wear a mask if you're in those crowded indoor spaces and stay home if you're ill. Thankfully, we're seeing a lot less
preymission of COVID-19 these days. So if you're feeling ill.
14:53:33 Take that seriously and stay home from an event if you can, particularly if you're going to be coming into contact with high risk.
14:53:40 That's that's kind of our main recommendation. We do still have free tests available. Most of the country does not, but we do so there's still a Jeepson County public health
also at our local park, our local libraries, and our fire stations in South County, so you can still get free test. It's good to find out if you have COVID-19.
14:54:03 Nope.
14:53:59 And we don't. Again. I'm starting to get a lot of questions from the public about whether or not they should get another vaccine dose.
14:54:10 Yeah.
14:54:06 For most of us the answer, that question is no but if, however, you're over 65, you haven't had a vaccine since, like September, October of last year. Then you are recommended
to get additional an additional do, COVID-19. So here, that's what you need to be considered up to date.
14:54:23 Perfect.
14:54:23 We've had 3 hospitalizations in the last few weeks. They were all in people in their 60 s. And 70 s. Who were not up to date on their vaccines. If you're not up to date.
14:54:32 Definitely make sure you get up to date. But for the rest of us we need to wait until the fall to get the newest version of the COVID-19 vaccine.
14:54:41 So with that I'm happy to take any code questions before I move on to avian flu.
14:54:47 Okay.
14:54:48 Cool. So avian flu continues to spread. At this point, we've had wild bird detections in all 50 States. We've had poultry outbreaks in 48 of the 50 States, including Jefferson
and Calum County, among them. And we know of 160 cattle herds over 13 States that are currently have active outbreaks for avian influenza.
14:55:12 I say we know of, because we are dramatically under testing our cattle. So we strongly suspect there are a couple of outbreaks in other parts of the country that are not getting
picked up.
14:55:22 Under our current surveillance system.
14:55:23 It has been a challenge talking to our State and Federal partners. There's a lot of frustration because.
14:55:28 One of the main lessons we learned in Covid is that we need to test more broadly sooner if we don't want things to spread but unfortunately, at the State and Federal level funding
for testing has been cut.
14:55:40 So they they know they need to, but they can't cause there isn't money appropriated to do it. Which worries people like me because we don't have the kind of situational awareness
we want to. So.
14:55:54 What does that mean for people who live in Washington State? The one piece of data that we do have in Washington is some wastewater sampling. So you know how we have wastewater
sampling in Jefferson for covid. That's the only thing we test our wastewater for right now. On the infectious disease realm.
14:56:10 But there are wastewater sampling sites for avian flu and King Pearson counties, and in all of those, so far they're not detecting avian flu, which is helpful. At least, Pearson,
those are 2 heavy areas. And we're not seeing it there yet. So that makes us hopeful. It's not. I would prefer if we had a little more sampling like we had it here. And I'm actually
gonna encourage her.
14:56:33 State colleagues to consider adding it to our local wastewater sampling, so we can feel even more reassured. But we do see it in the wastewater of Oregon, Idaho, and California.
So it's near but we haven't seen them in Washington State yet.
14:56:50 For most people currently, right now the risk of avian flu is slow.
14:56:54 But there are some people who that risk is higher, and that is people who are who work very closely with him. So if you're a dairy farmer. If you have poultry or if you drink
wrong.
14:57:07 So we know that for the dairy that are affected, that that virus concentrates in their milk.
14:57:15 And we see infectious virus particles in the milk itself.
14:57:19 We've also seen it go on to infect cats, so we know it's capable of infecting unanimal with a very similar system to ours. We certainly have never tested doing that to people,
because that's just not an ethical thing to do. So we don't have people data on that yet.
14:57:36 But and we also know that.
14:57:38 Characterizing them.
14:57:40 Fixes it, but drinking raw milk, it's not pasteurized. There is a significant risk of acquiring milk, so we strongly recommend against drinking raw milk. At this time, while
the influenza outbreak is ongoing.
14:57:55 That I'm happy to end. The one other thing that we're prepping for is the fare so the fair is a time where we take animals and people, and we crowd them together indoors, which,
if you care about someone that diseases makes you a little nervous. So there's a lot of work going on at the State, Federal, and local level to prepare for that, to reduce any risk
of that becoming a transmission of that setting.
14:58:17 We're gonna be putting out some messaging. We're already coordinating with the Wu extension to try to make sure our fair is as safe as possible.
14:58:25 Now I'm happy to take any questions.
14:58:29 Any questions for Dr. Barry.
14:58:34 Quiet bunch. Today. Sounds good.
14:58:42 Nice.
14:58:43 We are joined by Laura Gaslin to talk about the clean air and cooling centers.
14:58:49 From Laura.
14:58:54 Be a little ahead of schedule. Yeah.
14:58:59 Anybody. Laura.
14:59:05 I am ready.
14:59:07 Let me pull up my Powerpoint.
14:59:33 That's great!
14:59:35 Alright!
14:59:37 So I'm gonna be talking about heat and air quality.
14:59:40 And our cooling and safer airspaces.
14:59:46 And I'm just gonna do a little bit of background on extreme heat and wildfire. So this is the deadliest type of weather event.
14:59:54 Outdoor workers are at higher risk.
14:59:58 Our elderly youth, pregnant people, and anyone with a health condition are at higher risk.
15:00:04 And surprisingly cold places.
15:00:06 They're more, not less the mortality for heat.
15:00:09 For example, at just 85 degrees in a cool place like this.
15:00:14 Can have a 10 x effect on mortality of elders.
15:00:20 Other folks at higher risk? Are our workers.
15:00:24 Especially agriculture, instruction, and anyone who works outside. But agriculture is by far the highest.
15:00:34 We have been working with our epidemiologists to look at heat, related illnesses.
15:00:40 This is the percentage of total.
15:00:44 Visits to.
15:00:45 Jefferson Healthcare Hospital. Here.
15:00:48 And the percentage that we're considered.
15:00:53 And now everything shows up, as heat related. That might be heat related.
15:00:57 But we do have some pretty significant.
15:01:00 Heat related illness, especially in July and August.
15:01:05 And you can look at the spikes.
15:01:08 In August, compared to our temperatures.
15:01:14 So how do we plan for heat.
15:01:17 We educate the public.
15:01:19 We monitor the national Weather services, heat, risk.
15:01:23 And then we try to get lots of information about.
15:01:26 The options of going to our local cooling spaces.
15:01:31 And home, cooling.
15:01:32 And get folks to know how to recognize and treat illness, and when to call 9, 1 1.
15:01:40 The National Weather Service is heat risk map is.
15:01:44 A very helpful tool.
15:01:46 To look at forecasts out.
15:01:51 What's gonna be the heat risk? And this is based on how unusual heat is for the time of year.
15:01:58 The duration of day and nighttime temperatures.
15:02:01 And Cdc heat injury data.
15:02:05 We have 4 levels.
15:02:09 From.
15:02:10 Little to know.
15:02:12 Concern to some extreme.
15:02:14 Keep concerning.
15:02:17 We have created a guide working with our department of Emergency management.
15:02:22 Of what we do at each level.
15:02:26 From.
15:02:28 Education to activating cooling centers and working with our cooling centers.
15:02:32 To.
15:02:34 Extend their hours through the heat of the day.
15:02:38 We've also been doing a lot of outreach on the symptoms of heat.
15:02:43 And how to treat them, and also.
15:02:47 When it's.
15:02:49 Past self treatment, and you need to go ahead and and call the professionals.
15:02:56 For wildfire smoke. We've been really lucky with wildfire smoke.
15:03:01 Here so far this summer.
15:03:02 But it's something to take seriously.
15:03:06 With minor, too deadly responses.
15:03:09 From coughs to
15:03:13 Exacerbation of various.
15:03:15 Health.
15:03:17 Issues.
15:03:19 With that we work. We watch air. Gov. From the EPA, which pulls together both.
15:03:27 The results from local regulatory sensors, which are big, expensive, high quality sensors such as the one Blue Heron Middle School.
15:03:35 And then they pull in people's personal sensors from purple air.
15:03:43 To have a really as full of a picture as they can.
15:03:48 We follow the State guidelines for wildfire smoke.
15:03:56 And we also follow the public health actions.
15:03:59 Related to these different levels of air quality.
15:04:05 So again, we're educating the public.
15:04:08 We monitor heat, risk, and air. Now.
15:04:11 We.
15:04:13 Talk about all the options of our say for aerospaces and cooling centers.
15:04:20 Home, cooling.
15:04:21 Home, air, filtration.
15:04:23 We also recommend, if it's smoky, to have.
15:04:27 Ppe, if you need to be out in it, and we give these out especially to.
15:04:31 Outdoor workers.
15:04:33 If you have anywhere that you want more of them, we we do have some more to give out.
15:04:39 The key thing is that they need to be 90 s.
15:04:42 And or higher.
15:04:44 If if you have other professional respirator.
15:04:47 Equipment that works too, but.
15:04:49 As you can see in this image. You wanna have straps that go around your head because.
15:04:54 That creates a tighter fit.
15:04:56 To keep the smoke particles out.
15:04:59 Of your lungs.
15:05:01 We've been working extensively with our cooling and clean air centers.
15:05:07 We are working with Brennan community.
15:05:10 We've provided portable air cleaners and multiple.
15:05:15 A/c units air conditioning units. So they now have a public space with air conditioning.
15:05:21 We're working with the cool community center.
15:05:24 And they already have some air conditioning, so we provided them with portable air cleaners.
15:05:30 Same for the Tri area and the Port Townsend Recreation Center.
15:05:35 And then we work with the Jefferson County libraries.
15:05:40 And if you're ever looking for somewhere to go when it's hot or smoky. The Jefferson County Library, is a particularly excellent place.
15:05:48 They have a very, they're relatively modern for our.
15:05:53 Or area, and they have some excellent Hvac.
15:05:56 We also work with the Port Townsend Library.
15:05:59 And
15:06:01 Although they don't have air conditioning, they have lots of shade, and a building that stays cool passively. Well.
15:06:09 And they will be getting a.
15:06:12 Heat pump so that they will have cooling in the future.
15:06:16 And then we coordinate with the nest as well.
15:06:21 I just like to add, this time we budgeted, and it should be in. There should air conditioning for the first.st
15:06:30 Could you repeat that I couldn't hear that.
15:06:33 Oh, it's Monica from the city! It it was approved in fall, and for the portion library to install air conditioning.
15:06:42 That's fantastic.
15:06:46 And do you know if that's heat pumps, which also prevent the filtration.
15:06:49 Nice.
15:06:51 Wonderful.
15:06:53 Be a great resource here.
15:06:58 This summer. We have mostly done outreach because our events have not gotten to the extreme level.
15:07:05 And none of the spaces have extended their hours yet.
15:07:08 But we are keeping an eye on things. We also work with the Department of Emergency Management.
15:07:15 To have funding available to reimburse these locations for staff time.
15:07:21 For extra utilities, costs for other incidentals.
15:07:26 Through a grant.
15:07:27 We've been trying to make that as straightforward as possible.
15:07:33 We also have mobile air quality sensors.
15:07:36 That we take around to different locations during our quality events.
15:07:41 And we can check.
15:07:44 What the air quality is.
15:07:46 So if it's a say for airspace or other location.
15:07:50 Indoors we can deploy more portable air cleaners.
15:07:55 Or if it gets really hot at one of these locations, we also can deploy. We have some more.
15:08:00 Air conditioning units.
15:08:02 Ready to deploy.
15:08:06 And that is.
15:08:08 Everything I have about this. Does anyone have any questions.
15:08:15 Laura, could you speak to the nest.
15:08:20 Anything particular about the nest.
15:08:22 I just I didn't hear you mention it, but it sounds like that's it's been designated as a cooling, safer airspace.
15:08:29 Yes, we've provided some portable air cleaners to them, and they do have air conditioning.
15:08:35 And they're a particularly welcoming place for youth to come with other services as well.
15:08:41 And there's coffee which other places don't necessarily have.
15:08:49 And questions or comments for Laura.
15:08:54 Laura. This is Apple.
15:08:56 I wonder if you might share a little bit.
15:08:59 With the Board, especially our newer members.
15:09:02 On some of the events that we've done.
15:09:05 Around the community last year, and this year
15:09:09 Targeting. Different.
15:09:11 Groups of folks, different types of communities.
15:09:13 So that education around
15:09:17 Air quality and and the impacts of heat.
15:09:20 Can be really internalized. I think it's been really choice how you selected a few different.
15:09:27 Groups of folks who would.
15:09:28 Particularly be influenced by these impacts. And I'm really.
15:09:33 Appreciating how you thought through.
15:09:36 The equity of.
15:09:38 Sort of delivering this information in a kind way, and.
15:09:42 Providing services and supplies equipment. To just help people help themselves, which is essentially what what we want.
15:09:51 Some of that will be covered in my next presentation.
15:09:53 But I will touch on those.
15:09:57 One. We have been doing trainings.
15:09:59 Throughout the county.
15:10:02 Both public ones. We did one last year in Port Townsend, and this year we did one down in chimicom.
15:10:10 And that in the evening to try to get a wider range of working folks to come and brought in speakers from the University of Washington.
15:10:20 And the State Department of Health, Air, Quality, as well as.
15:10:25 Air quality specialists from the Olympic region.
15:10:30 We've also been working with our local Ems.
15:10:33 To do a annual training for them.
15:10:39 About wildfire smoke, and then heat, extreme heat and extreme heat responses.
15:10:45 Last year we brought in some speakers from Udub, and this year I did it.
15:10:49 But it was. It was great to.
15:10:52 Give them a a brush up on some of the factors. The climatic factors that.
15:10:57 Are important here.
15:10:59 And then we've partnered with Wsu.
15:11:03 For
15:11:04 Outreach to farmers.
15:11:06 Specifically.
15:11:09 We I presented at a farmer Wellness event, and then we've been.
15:11:11 Pushing out our messaging through some of their email lists as well.
15:11:16 And hope to do more of that.
15:11:20 And with those especially the the public events.
15:11:23 We also give out.
15:11:27 The and 95 s. With the straps around the head for wildfire smoke.
15:11:34 And also information on making diy box fans and and things like that which are super helpful, more across the board for folks to consider, because they're more affordable.
15:11:45 I also want to highlight that in the.
15:11:48 Community training that you did in Port Townsend last year.
15:11:51 Your focus, I believe, was.
15:11:54 By, and large.
15:11:56 School age, children and folks who work in the schools, and I can recall the year before that 22.
15:12:03 When we did have a smoke event in our area, and I think it was maybe at the beginning of the school year in August or September.
15:12:12 There was a lot of confusion and worry and and uncertainty about what to do.
15:12:18 With children, either in daycare or outside in the playground for recess, during the school day or after school for athletics.
15:12:27 In terms of.
15:12:29 What are the thresholds that.
15:12:30 We wanna either.
15:12:33 Have kids wear masks. We want them to stay hydrated. We want them to mitigate some of the play that they have outside.
15:12:42 Or at least make a combination of indoor outdoor play less long or less exposure.
15:12:47 And or to the ultimate end which.
15:12:50 Is actually canceling activities. When the threshold is so high.
15:12:55 Are needing to make those choices. So anyway, I just, I want the board and the public to understand that we really heard that confusion at that time.
15:13:03 And wanted to get clarity on sort of the.
15:13:06 The infographics that we use and the education that we push out in the community, and how we talk to leadership and even school boards about.
15:13:15 And school officials.
15:13:17 About.
15:13:17 Sort of harnessing the right information, and then.
15:13:20 Looking through and practicing. So they know what the right thing to do is based on.
15:13:26 Data that they could get from us if they don't have it themselves.
15:13:32 Thank you. Apple.
15:13:35 Question. I'm not sure who it's from. It's a little bit tangential, but related
15:13:40 I've seen more in the last couple of years about the risks of very cold water submersion during high temperatures.
15:13:51 And you know, I mean, it's a very obvious. We live in an area surrounded by water.
15:13:56 Quite cold water. It's an obvious way to cool off for a lot of people.
15:14:00 Is that like? What? What are the risks associated.
15:14:04 With that is, are all people to that? Are children vulnerable? Do you have to be super super hot, and then getting super cold water? Does our water qualify a super cold water?
Just.
15:14:14 Yeah, curious. I see a lot of different people potentially could answer. So I'll take a a stab at it. And I'm my health colleagues feel free to chime in. One of the most common
errors that people make is that they assume that the body of water has changed its temperature significantly, because the air has, but many of our body of bodies of water are quite
deep, sound, glacially fed rivers and streams.
15:14:39 And those don't change much, and so, even though it might be 90 degrees outside, can still be 45 degrees there, and that shock for your body, the main worry that we that that
can cause life threatening events is shock and so, going from heat to sudden cold, you can actually experience, even if you're a good swimmer that you are. Body stops functioning, your
muscles stop contracting, and then you can't swim more.
15:15:04 Yeah. And so the main thing we worry about is jumping in. Going from 0 to full body. That's the the big risk waiting.
15:15:14 So it laid into the lake, went into a stream depending on the speed of the stream. That that's gonna be relatively safe. But it's going from 0 to full body end and then being
paying attention to your body. So if you are a swimmer, you cold plunges has become more of a thing for our community, and that nothing inherently wrong with that, but listening to
your body as you start to wade out.
15:15:36 If you feel early symptoms of this, if something feels wrong in your body, if you're feeling weak in your body, that's a signal that it's time to step out of that scenario.
15:15:48 And then just planning for normal water safety. You know, people who don't access the water normally might consider it when it gets really hot and so making sure that kids know
how to swim at our supervised making sure that you're using life jackets, all those normal water safety things become more and more.
15:16:06 Are thinking of a fairly certainty. Add to that.
15:16:09 Just a personal experience that I had a couple of years ago. I jumped into Lake Crescent just like I used to when I was a little kid, and at the older age exactly what you said
happened like my.
15:16:21 Arms and legs.
15:16:22 I'm trying to move on. Trying to swim is not happening.
15:16:26 Like the way I was right by the.
15:16:28 The doc and just grabbed onto it. Just just realized with age. You just can't do all things you did when you were a little kid. Yes, to speak to risk factors, it could happen
that any of us, but as we get older it's a higher risk. So your vascular system is less responsive than it used to be. And so yeah, good good reminder that.
15:16:54 Go on!
15:16:47 Unfortunately, some of the things we could do in our 20 s. We can't do as we get.
15:17:01 Alright!
15:17:01 I would add that the.
15:17:05 Swim lessons at public schools.
15:17:07 Are a really great thing.
15:17:09 My daughter took part in them this year, or it was it was water, safety, not even full swim.
15:17:15 But it was.
15:17:18 A really great experience. And I appreciate that happening to help keep our kids in this community safe because there are so many bodies of water nearby.
15:17:27 Oops!
15:17:29 One other thing around pediatric safety is so. It is. One of the leading causes of accidental death in children is pools and bodies of water. And so if you're going to a party,
or some kind of gathering at the water, making sure that there is an adult who, walking the water is their job. They don't have to be a life guard, but just unadulter, who's designated
pay attention to the water drowning and kids looks different than we think. They're not loud.
15:17:55 Usually are just slowly thinking under and so making sure that there's someone whose job it is to watch those children makes a huge difference.
15:18:02 And of course, making sure all the kids get swimming licenses.
15:18:09 Welcome, Commissioner Eisenhower. Thank you. My other meeting ended early. So nice, good.
15:18:15 Join great.
15:18:18 Alright, anything else.
15:18:20 For Laura et l. Although you stick around, don't you.
15:18:25 I do?
15:18:27 Back to backs today, right.
15:18:29 Alright, Jefferson, County Climate Summit report.
15:18:33 Little light reading for everyone.
15:18:38 Similar.
15:18:39 Alright!
15:18:41 Let me share my screen again.
15:18:45 And I might ask
15:18:59 Thank you.
15:19:01 That's.
15:18:49 Josh Peters was gonna join us today, and I don't know if he is getting on this early, since we're a little ahead of time, but once he does come on, would you take note of that
and pull him into.
15:19:03 The virtual space with us. Please.
15:19:06 He's here. Apple.
15:19:07 Oh, good! Excellent! Thank you.
15:19:11 8.
15:19:13 Well, I'll go ahead and get started on the Jefferson County Summit.
15:19:19 This was.
15:19:21 2, 3Â h meetings facilitated by Cascadia. Consulting. This happened at the beginning of May.
15:19:29 And we brought together as many departments as we could. We couldn't get everybody.
15:19:33 But the Auditor's office, Commissioner Heidi.
15:19:37 Eisenhower joined us. We had representation from community development.
15:19:42 Public Health public Works, the Wsu extension.
15:19:46 And emergency management information in. But we're not able to attend in person.
15:19:53 The goals of this.
15:19:57 Summer we're.
15:19:58 To better understand the climate, related projects.
15:20:02 And initiatives that we're already doing here.
15:20:05 And Jefferson County.
15:20:06 And look at what's voluntary and mandated that they're all important.
15:20:12 And then to identify synergies and opportunities for cross departmental collaboration.
15:20:18 On climate, related work.
15:20:20 And then start to build a foundation for the addition of a climate resiliency element to the comprehensive plan.
15:20:30 We started.
15:20:32 This.
15:20:33 Summit with a.
15:20:35 Altogether something called a swat analysis, which was new to me, but looking at strengths, weaknesses, and threats.
15:20:50 Our top strengths we came up with was awareness and commitment to climate response, especially among leadership.
15:20:57 Partnerships, collaboration and community engagement.
15:21:00 Climate resilience building is already happening.
15:21:04 Environmental stewardship and the amazing natural environment. Here in Jefferson County.
15:21:09 And the focus on equity, justice, and tribal engagement.
15:21:15 Some of our weaknesses and challenges have been capacity and coordination.
15:21:22 Economic development, global factors and attitudes.
15:21:26 Transportation of people and goods in our remote location. Here.
15:21:30 A need for clear and unified plans.
15:21:33 Funding constraints.
15:21:36 And sometimes not having the urgency and cohesion that we would like.
15:21:42 Opportunities.
15:21:43 Partnerships and resources.
15:21:46 Community engagement.
15:21:46 Having a health centric approach.
15:21:50 Interdepartmental collaboration.
15:21:53 Grants and grant availability.
15:21:55 And establishing a framework for decision-making.
15:21:59 Threats.
15:22:01 Attitudes and resistance to change.
15:22:04 Capacity and time, constraints.
15:22:05 Research constraints.
15:22:07 Politicization of climate.
15:22:10 Impact on the local economy and ecosystems.
15:22:14 And paralysis and inaction, since it's such a big thing to take on.
15:22:21 With that framing of kind of where we are at.
15:22:25 We're gonna touch on the climate resilience work.
15:22:29 Specifically at Jefferson County, public Health.
15:22:34 Since this is the Board of Health Meeting.
15:22:36 So we've had some funding come in over the last 3, 2 and a half years. Really.
15:22:42 To focus on climate.
15:22:44 Through the National Environmental Health Association, Grant.
15:22:47 And some foundational public health funding.
15:22:50 As well as additional funding by Jefferson County for some of the programs.
15:22:56 So this provides a half time position. That would be me.
15:23:02 And my other half time is from.
15:23:04 Sources.
15:23:05 And part time for a couple of other staff.
15:23:09 This funding also sponsored the facilitation of this climate.
15:23:12 We've been using it to dovetail climate response and emergency preparedness and response.
15:23:18 We've been providing education and response for wildfire smoke and heat events.
15:23:25 And.
15:23:26 Provided Support for Program Development.
15:23:30 Some of what we've accomplished in the last couple years being a very new program.
15:23:36 We created policies for extreme heat and wildfire smoke.
15:23:41 And guides.
15:23:42 We've established clean air and cooling centers throughout Jefferson County.
15:23:46 The heat dome in 2021 was a big wake up for that. And so we're really glad to have these ready to roll out. It's as they're needed.
15:23:54 We've done lots of communication with the public.
15:23:57 Through press releases social media. Other methods when we have forecasted heat waves or wildfire.
15:24:05 And we've been working on fostering a very collaborative relationship with the Department of Emergency management.
15:24:12 As we're responding to environmental threats from climate change.
15:24:18 We've worked with the Washington Department of Health to provide portable air cleaners to the community.
15:24:25 We have purple air, quality.
15:24:27 Sensors.
15:24:29 Going up around the county to fill in monitoring gaps.
15:24:34 We've created clean air rooms at events such as thing.
15:24:38 And trained.
15:24:41 Staff, at public health.
15:24:42 In wildfire smoke and heat event responses.
15:24:47 We created an annual education event for local 1st responders. As I spoke about in the last presentation.
15:24:53 And.
15:24:55 Public education, events.
15:24:57 On extreme heat and wildfire smoke.
15:24:59 And bringing in some really excellent speakers.
15:25:02 We also organize monthly and health presentations at the Board of Health for those who weren't here at that time.
15:25:09 For 12 months, plus.
15:25:13 Covering topics like the health effects of climate change, perspectives, mental health and climate change.
15:25:19 Wildfire, Smoke.
15:25:21 And heat, safety level rise, and more.
15:25:25 Public health has not been the only department working on climate resiliency.
15:25:31 And there has been a lot of work across.
15:25:34 The county.
15:25:34 We pulled some examples that are specifically health related.
15:25:39 That touch multiple departments.
15:25:41 So there's a lot of planning going on.
15:25:45 From the county. Comprehensive plan update which we have Josh to give us a little bit of info on at the end of this.
15:25:53 We've been working on integrating climate into the Community Health Improvement Plan.
15:25:58 We've been working on extreme weather response, planning.
15:26:02 And local sewage management plan.
15:26:07 The Department of Emergency Management has been.
15:26:10 Doing the Hazard Mitigation Plan.
15:26:12 Climate Action Committee has multiple, really great documents.
15:26:17 And the Climate preparedness plan from the North Olympic Development Council, but numerous.
15:26:22 County folks have helped with.
15:26:26 Before I talk about the mitigation and adaptation that's going on, I'd like to talk a little bit about what is mitigation and what is adaptation at the event. We needed a little
bit of reminder as well.
15:26:38 So mitigation is anything that reduces.
15:26:42 That caused climate change.
15:26:43 Whereas adaptation is action to manage the risks of climate change impacts.
15:26:49 And they aren't usually exclusive.
15:26:51 There's some things that do both.
15:26:57 So this is a nice little infographic about things that reduce emissions that are mitigation, things that are adapting.
15:27:04 To reduce the risks, and then some.
15:27:07 Some things certainly are. Both.
15:27:11 Mitigation programs are conservation features with their open space preservation program.
15:27:18 The natural resources program that works with flood plains by design to reduce floods.
15:27:25 He's been home composting classes that have reduced a significant amount of food from going into the landfill, because that creates.
15:27:32 A large amount of.
15:27:33 Greenhouse gases.
15:27:34 We've been working with the transportation lab on encouraging active.
15:27:40 And there is work on the process of transitioning as many vehicles as we can to electric vehicles.
15:27:49 There is much more going on, but these are some of the highlights.
15:27:53 Adaptation.
15:27:55 Has been tracking and responding to emerging infectious diseases.
15:28:00 That are often exacerbated by climate change.
15:28:04 Monitoring and responding to hazardous algae blooms.
15:28:07 And this happens at many of the lakes that are popular swimming lakes in the county.
15:28:13 And has been going for many years.
15:28:15 So that was great that we've been doing that.
15:28:18 Heat, event, response.
15:28:20 And wildfire smoke response are both new within the last couple of years.
15:28:25 As is the level of heat and wildfire smoke, education.
15:28:29 And I guess I have.
15:28:31 I'll be blooms on twice, but we're looking at the marine ones as well as the fresh water.
15:28:38 A great little moment we had was folks sharing what they envisioned for a resilient Jefferson County.
15:28:45 And I love the diversity of answers from trees.
15:28:51 Creative, collaborative.
15:28:53 Local food came out nicely.
15:28:55 Coordinated.
15:28:57 Sustainable cooperation.
15:29:03 Our next steps.
15:29:06 Are. We are planning quarterly.
15:29:09 Cross Departmental Jefferson County meetings.
15:29:14 In. We're working on the exact format of that. But.
15:29:17 There's been a commitment to make these happen quarterly. So people can share what they're doing. So we can collaborate and support one another.
15:29:25 The Jefferson County Comprehensive Plan. Update.
15:29:28 And then we're gonna continue the Climate and health program development here at public health.
15:29:39 Does anyone have any questions.
15:29:42 The full report is also in the packet.
15:29:46 Edit, and it is very comprehensive.
15:29:49 I would note that not everything on it is fact checked.
15:29:52 There are many things that were just suggestions, and so.
15:29:55 It is a lot of information to sift through.
15:29:59 And if you have any questions on something, feel free to reach out to me.
15:30:05 Thanks. Laura. Kate.
15:30:08 Stepped out to deal with the little.
15:30:11 Guys. A little not major crisis, small crisis.
15:30:15 Does anyone have questions for Laura?
15:30:19 Great presentation.
15:30:20 And I really look forward to getting the implementation.
15:30:26 Train on the track on more activities. But.
15:30:29 In fact, just today Monte and I have been talking about.
15:30:34 Scheduling a workshop for the voc on.
15:30:38 Electrification of the fleet.
15:30:40 And how we can move forward with that. So I think that's gonna happen in the next.
15:30:45 Few weeks, so that'll be good.
15:30:46 That's wonderful!
15:30:48 Great news.
15:30:50 So.
15:30:51 Rubber is already meeting the road on this stuff.
15:30:55 Any other comments or questions for Laura on this presentation.
15:30:59 Nope.
15:31:01 See any hands, book.
15:31:05 Josh, do you want to say anything about the retreat and and.
15:31:09 Your impressions.
15:31:13 Thank you, Commissioner Eisenhower, and.
15:31:14 Good afternoon. Word of health. Josh Peters, community development Director.
15:31:20 The only thing I'll add is.
15:31:22 That if anyone's interested in.
15:31:26 Our 25 periodic update is mandated by the Washington State Act.
15:31:32 I'd be happy to answer your questions another time. You can get in touch with me or Project Manager Joel Peterson, at Dcd.
15:31:39 Muscle. I'm not sure if
15:31:42 The chat function is working for all the participants, but if so.
15:31:45 I'm just adding.
15:31:47 The general.
15:31:49 Washington State Department of Commerce Page. About what these periodic.
15:31:54 Plus.
15:31:55 What the climate, planning requirement is now, which is a new part of State law.
15:31:59 That's essentially. Besides the fact that it's a good idea to think about.
15:32:04 Resiliency is an overarching theme in our comprehensive plan. It's also requirement under.
15:32:08 House Bill 11. So we're gonna be adding a climate resiliency element to our comp plan. We've been working closely already with public health.
15:32:16 And we anticipate doing so. Through this process, which.
15:32:20 Is gonna wrap up next year. So we're in the middle of it. We're just kind of getting it getting it rolling. We have the same consultant that Laura mentioned facilitated the
internal climate summit is also going to help us with.
15:32:31 The climate planning aspect of our comprehensive plan update as a subconsultant to our main consultant. And again, that's Cascadia consulting. So we're excited about that, because
they have a lot of.
15:32:42 Specific experience in this regard.
15:32:44 Then again, I'm not sure if these links are working just in case I'm adding one more, which is.
15:32:50 Our own 25 periodic update web page at the department of community development.
15:32:54 And that's where you can find updates of information, schedules and so forth. So think I'll. I'll wrap it up there unless there's any questions.
15:33:03 Great thanks, Josh, any questions for Josh.
15:33:05 On the periodic update.
15:33:08 Sounds like a lot of work to me, and I know it's gonna be.
15:33:10 It's a lot of work. Yeah.
15:33:13 Yeah. Okay, well, thanks. You guys really appreciate the briefing on this and look forward to the work ahead with you all.
15:33:21 I think the next item on our agenda.
15:33:26 Is Dr. Barry again, with a a briefing on zootic disease. Let's see if we can share screen on this one.
15:33:40 Alright!
15:33:41 Great looks like that's sharing. Okay?
15:33:44 So anotic diseases is a fancy term for diseases that affect people that come from animals since the zoom part. And so I think that animals or bugs will usually consider in that,
too. So avian flu.
15:33:58 Also is oanic disease. We were talking about some common diseases that we worry about in the summer that we might want to tell people about. And so I said, actually focus this
presentation on rabies in particular, because for us, at public health we refer to the summer as rabies season, which is not what most people think, that when they think of the summer
it's very fun to live in our world. But it is the time where we get a lot more exposures.
15:34:23 Most. We wanted the public to know.
15:34:25 What's going on with that, and what they need to know.
15:34:27 So.
15:34:28 Rabies looks like it's a virus that's a picture of it in purple over there, left on microscope style. So it's relatively rare. There's only one to 7 cases in the United States
every year, which is good, but that's rare, because it is universally fatal. If you get to the point where you are developing symptoms of it.
15:34:49 It's spread by animals. So while there's only thankfully one to 7 cases of disease.
15:34:54 There are over 60,000 documented exposures where we gave posture prophylaxis every year in the United States. So that's a lot of work.
15:35:03 That's going on in the background to make sure that stays at one to 7.
15:35:08 The primary animal in the United States that spread it are pictured below and it varies depending on where you live. So I'm much of the East Coast. It's raccoons and skunks
that are the primary vectors in Washington State. It's almost exclusively best. Just all all that's of all the cases that we've seen that actually gone human exposures in Washington
State.
15:35:32 It's been fast and so disease that fatal disease from rabies is 100 percentable. If you get treated.
15:35:40 And so we wanna talk about.
15:35:44 How to make sure that that happens. If you do find yourself.
15:35:48 So in Washington State there have been.
15:35:52 Thankfully, still rare for humans to get. But there have been 2 human cases in the last 75 years. And we do get and it is that's far away are the source for rabies. This is
a map of 2023 of counties that have a positive bath that was found to have rabies, and you will see Jefferson County is lit up there. So we did have a positive bat last year, but actually
bit the woman and so she.
15:36:17 Worked with us and her healthcare provider. She got posture probal access, and she is fine. But it is. It does go to show this does this year. That's I wanna say, are incredibly
important to our ecosystem. They are not bad animals. But some of them a small proportion can carry babies. And so it's really important that we think about how we interact with them
to minimize our own potential exposure.
15:36:42 Most bats are not rabbit.
15:36:44 But some are, and you won't always know.
15:36:48 Some backs that you might get in contact with might. So things that make you worry about rabies in a bat is, if it's active during the day that's supposed to be night animals.
And if it's not avoiding people so normally, a bat doesn't want anything to do with you. This fact that affected this woman blew it during the day, and bitter.
15:37:10 It's not a normal behavior for a so that kind of thing raised a lot of concern for babies.
15:37:16 But we have had cases where Bat tested positive, and no one noted anything abnormal about it.
15:37:22 So all to say.
15:37:24 Please avoid contacts. Please don't touch bats. We have a lot of very kind hearted folks in our community who want to save it back if they find it down. Please don't do that.
Call a while left just if you're concerned about them. But don't touch it yourself because of the risk of.
15:37:43 So how do you get so in order to get rabies? Is not an airborne virus you have to come into close contact physical contact with the animal that has it. And so, particularly
since it's primarily that's that's a bad or a bite or a scratch from a bat.
15:38:03 Now, the complexity about that is that they're little claws, and they're very tiny. And so you might not always know if you've got bed or scratched by that. So if you had close
contact with the bat.
15:38:14 We had a recent case in Clown County, where a woman was opening up a cabin that she hadn't been in all year, opened up a shutter and a bet fell in her head, and like got in
her hair that's too close or finding a bat in a room with a sleeping person. So that's by and large, the most common way that we get a call, and you wake up in the morning. Go check
on your kids. And there's that in there.
15:38:40 And they've been in there with your kids all night. That is a high risk scenario. We wanna know.
15:38:45 And most adults will wake up.
15:38:48 If they get or sketched by a bat in the night. But there's a whole crew of us who want, or who won't be able to tell you so. Very small children, elderly folks with dementia
or anyone who is very sedated for a variety of reasons. In the summer. The most common reason we are very sedated is we've had a couple of drinks. So that that's that's a crew that
we wanna take particular care of or anyone who has things.
15:39:12 Cpd.
15:39:13 So if you find yourself in the scenario you woke up in the morning. There's a bat in your room. Give us a call, and we will walk through what to do and whether or not, that's
something that we need to intervene, or dead, living or dead. I don't care.
15:39:38 I was actually on Call 24, 7 to be clear. The people who are on is me pinky that crew Apple who's online? And yes, a, as a Commissioner, Dean started, please feel free to chime
in with questions. These are way. More fun if we ask the questions as we go, and just stare at slides. Go for.
15:39:59 Yeah, Dr. Barry. I'm just curious in this community. I know many a great many people who know, as you know, bats are wonderful pollinators. And so people have bat.
15:40:10 An install bat houses around their property to attract these little pollinating critters.
15:40:15 I mean is that something that's still encouraged.
15:40:19 That's actually totally fine, that as long as those are outside your house, so.
15:40:23 Okay.
15:40:25 Don't put them in the attic.
15:40:29 Okay.
15:40:27 Lisa. Don't encourage them into your home, but outside it's totally fine. So like even my own property at night I see them. They're just flying around at night up in the air.
Totally fine. Most don't want anything to do with you. They're not gonna just come find you. We'll get to a later part about how to protect yourself. But you do want to set up your
house so that they're not likely to want to come into your house? So if you're gonna set up a bathhouse, put that in a tree.
15:40:51 Don't. You don't want to encourage them into your home in particular.
15:40:56 Yeah, thank you. I do have a question on why? The. They are the vectors in different. So you know any. What's the theory on that. It just appears to be that it has gotten established
in certain populations of animals. And we don't know exactly why one area versus another. Vats are the number one risk.
15:41:17 If you look nationwide, that's far and away the most common. But in certain areas you'll see populations of other animals that are more common. So we don't know exactly why,
thankfully, we have not actually seen it. In.
15:41:32 Racoons and things around here. It's not impossible, but we haven't seen it yet. And thankfully, we almost never see it in domesticated animals. So I get a lot of calls we as
our team, get a lot of calls about. Thankfully, we've not had a single rapid dog in our region in the last 75 years.
15:41:55 And that's due to vaccination. And most of the rest of the world. The primary vector for rabies is dogs. So the most likely way that you would get rabies if you were traveling
in sub-saharan Africa, for example, is a dog bite. So the thing that has made it not dogs here is that we vaccinate our dogs? And so it is really critically important to keep your pets
up to date on their vaccines. So that that doesn't become an issue, that we need.
15:42:20 To deal with here, but I think for many people the only time we heard about when we watched old Yeller, and so we assume it is dogs, but it's very, very rarely. This doesn't
mean it's impossible. But what we look for that would make us worry about rabies and domestic animals what's called an unprovoked attack.
15:42:38 An animal that suck you out to bite you. In a not normal scenario.
15:42:44 Most of the time when we get a call about a bite, it is what we would in the clinical world term for both. That doesn't mean that it was.
15:42:52 It deserved, or or that that dog was necessarily well trained, but that it was within the range of normal behavior for a dog. So you know, someone recent cases I've had is someone
hopped into the neighbor's yard.
15:43:06 And a dog that didn't know who they were with them. Thinking they were an intruder. That's not pleasant. It's not good training, but that's normal, right.
15:43:15 But if a if an animal cat, dog, or another one, we get a lot is bites of cats, wild cats, people go find a feral cat in the woods, and they pick it up, and it bites them. That's
a provoked attack. Don't touch the animals that aren't yours. Even if you're well meaning, use our existing services to help with those animals. Because, yeah, strange.
15:43:40 Can I ask a related question? I have a killer cat who catches bats. How risky is that in terms of.
15:43:49 Her getting infected, much less bringing that into the house.
15:43:52 So that is a risk that we worry about. We did have a we had a case in neighboring Kitsap County, where it was a dog instead of a cat, but had been a bat and brought it into
the house. In that case the family was able to get the cat actually brought the the head of the bath in the house. They were able to get that tested, and it was positive for babies,
and so ended up having to quarantine that dog for a very long period of time.
15:44:16 Thankfully. That does not get.
15:44:19 But the best thing for your cat to prevent that is, just keep them up to date on the vaccines. And if they do regularly bring bats into the house.
15:44:27 It might be worth considering if that needs to become an indoor cat. But that's a personal life decision. But from a public health, perspective, bad encounters does increase
your captures, but mostly keeping them up to date on their vaccines. Way to go.
15:44:41 So I have a question. Related to this dear family member who was bit by a dog recently. She's a hospice nurse, and was entering a property, and the dog got her.
15:44:58 And when they looked into the vaccination history it.
15:45:02 The dog was like 4 days overdue.
15:45:05 Is there a is there a grace period of? I mean 4 days? I'm like.
15:45:10 Probably still, okay. But yeah. So for our world, the primary worry is that about the package? So in that case.
15:45:19 She's entering a space that is a hers, and so we wouldn't.
15:45:24 We wouldn't do anything with that. Because that's a provoked
15:45:30 It so idea, you know, and it.
15:45:32 Close to its vaccination level. So so the likelihood, like that is uncommon. Other provoked attacks that are also not ideal, but technically provoked. If you were running by
that person's house. And an unrestrained dog came out. Dogs by things that run if they're not trained to not do so and so from a that's still not. You haven't properly trained your
dog, but it doesn't make us think for you.
15:45:57 What would make me think is, you are standing, and a dog just crosses neutral territory. I don't know where.
15:46:04 And attack you. Versus behaving in a weird way at the mouth. Strange behavior! All those kind of things would make us worry more about babies. We did have a rabbit cat here.
Gosh! Probably about 7 years ago. In Jefferson County. That cat had had contact with about.
15:46:20 And so we think it was that.
15:46:22 But and it was unvaccinated.
15:46:24 Domestic care. Yeah. So we did have a question when that cougar attacked a child that we did, we should worry about rabies. And I said, No, that, unfortunately, is.
15:46:35 Normal behavior for uber is small things. So what we're really looking at is it normal behavior?
15:46:44 A last year in Olympic National Park.
15:46:47 Is there a residual protection? Or yes.
15:47:00 Actually not 100%, but it would reduce the subsequent plexus we would give you.
15:47:06 Because you are vaccinated. So there is a vaccine for it's not recommended for most people, but for people who are at risk of high risk of contact, or who have been treated
in the past. They are protected.
15:47:18 So what to do? If you are in the unfortunate event that you are exposed, you walk up, you found a bath in your house or you've had close contact with the bat. You think it even
scratched you orbit you, or you've been bit by an animal to behaved in a way that's making you worry, that it's rabies wash the area.
15:47:34 If you were in contact with the vet. This feels strange because I just told you not to touch them. We're gonna encourage you to capture it. And so, and we'll teach you how to
safely do that the main things is wear long sleeves and gloves. Get in a box. Don't kill it cause we need it. In order to test it, so we may. If we think you've been exposed, we will,
we will help get it off. The State Department of Health.
15:47:58 Test it for babies to prevent you having to get posture for full access down the way.
15:48:04 the reason why we try to prevent you having post exposure is it's.
15:48:09 Limited quantity. It's not infinite. And most importantly, for most people wildly expensive. So we don't want you to get it unless you really need it. If you really need it,
it's worth it, because.
15:48:20 Rabies is a terrible disease, but if you don't want to do it, so we'll test the bat if we can.
15:48:25 And then seek medical advice. You can contact your healthcare provider, or you can call us 24, 7 if you're worried about rabies. If it's the middle of night, you very likely
get me and we'll talk you through it. We'll talk about what's
15:48:37 What needs to happen. If we do recommend postposure access. That's an Iv medication iv and actually should say 4 doses of vaccines after after that.
15:48:49 So and that can be done. That's what we did for this woman. And she's alive well, today. Is really critically important. If you have been exposed to those things. Any questions
about any of that? How many phone calls do you get a year out more in the summer not not anywhere near so many as I got in. 2020, yeah.
15:49:13 The post exposure prophylaxis. Is there?
15:49:19 I was wondering about the spacing between the vaccine doses after, and if there's any downside
15:49:27 I guess the reasons why we don't just automatically get.
15:49:30 Why we are just why we don't just get the vaccine.
15:49:34 Is that the question? Yeah. So it's, in short, proximity. So it's.
15:49:38 4 4 vaccine doses. And I think 0 3, 7 and 14. So it's like thinking vaccine doses for a person. If they've been exposed to these, why we don't vaccinate the general population,
for it is because we
15:49:53 Do. Most of us are not gonna come in contact with babies. And so, even though the vaccine is safe, relatively low risk vaccine, we've given it to all these people who've been
exposed, and they've done fine. It is the, since our risk of exposure is so low, the benefit so.
15:50:10 Many people think I will recommend vaccines for everybody, for everything. I don't. It depends on your risk of exposure to the pathogen. But people who are high risk of veterinarians
are staff, who interact with these bats. Get vaccinated for for babies to make sure that we.
15:50:27 Don't end up.
15:50:29 Having to get this level.
15:50:32 Everyone's like.
15:50:33 $10,000 or something. Is that true? And does insurance ever so often? Yes, insurance will cover part of it, but, like so many things. It depends on your insurance, and it also
depends on if you needed it. So some of the times.
15:50:50 We've seen the highest bills is when a person really didn't need posture for full access, so they didn't involve us of healthcare. Provider was just kind of doing.
15:51:00 What they thought maybe was the most cautious thing, and then the interest didn't like that call so involve us. Your healthcare providers are likely gonna call us to. If you
do need, it's critically important that you get it. There are,
15:51:15 Payments, support options for people who are truly uninsured, which has happened for folks who have been exposed to rabies and really needed this medication. And there's ways
we can get that covered.
15:51:26 For them, too. So if you need it, yes, but if you don't need it, you know.
15:51:31 And so, if a person actually gets what is that? What does that look.
15:51:35 That's a bad one. So so it is universally once he develops symptoms. So that's why we have to treat folks before those symptom on set but
15:51:48 Generally progressive neurologic function.
15:51:50 It's a it's an ugly disease. And then they got and so we like to make sure that.
15:52:01 So a couple couple in the in the realm of days to weeks. One thing people don't know. It's probably worth clarifying is that from the moment of exposure, how long you have before
you have to get post exposure. Many people understandably after they hear that rabies they want it right now. They don't want to wait thankfully. In most scenarios you have 3 to 5 days.
15:52:25 Before you have to get post exposure, access. And so we have time.
15:52:29 We have time for you to call us. We have time to get that and send it to the State and get the results back. The State runs these very quickly. So we tend to get turned around
in about 24 to 40Â h. So we have.
15:52:41 Time. It's a what we consider a medical urgency, not emergency. So this happens.
15:52:47 1st thing you should take a deep breath and then call your helpers in, and we'll figure out what needs to happen for you. Because we do have time to get you this medicine. If
we get you the medicine, you're gonna do just fine.
15:52:57 And if you don't need the medicine.
15:53:00 Trust as we do this all the time. If you don't need the medicine, it's because you don't need it.
15:53:05 And you don't wanna add a 30,000 bill to your life for no reason. Yes, please.
15:53:13 Oh, yeah, great conversation. I I've learned a lot good to know that we have 3 to 5 days. That's that's a relief. I did not. I guess my question is like Kate's cats. We have
cats that take care of bats pretty regularly, as well as all sorts of other things. We're glad about the moles, but you really want every bat that is caught. I mean, that's like.
15:53:34 Potentially 2 or 3 a week from just me.
15:53:36 So yeah, good clarification. The only time I want you to call me or my team, who also take those after hours calls is, if there's a human exposure. So if there's been an exposure
to a pet alone, if there's not been an exposure to a human that you want to run through your.
15:53:54 And most of the time, if you're if your cat, your animal is up to date on their vaccines, they're not gonna recommend you do anything, but if you have an exposure like that
for your animal, and they're not up to date, they might recommend some other things. But where we come in is people exposures. We care. We love your animals. But it becomes our space
when there's a person. So when there's kids, adults, anything like that.
15:54:18 We also get folks who have, you know, listen to a recent radio show. And they're just worried like a dog licked their kids. Does that mean? They could potentially have no I'm
really worried about fights and scratches. And these funky back contacts. So.
15:54:32 So, and I have the folks who just say like they found a bat like they. They opened up, and they hadn't been in a while they walked in, and there was a bet. Well, if you weren't
already sleeping there with that bat not a deal.
15:54:43 Help it. Leave your cabin, but but it's not. It hasn't hurt you yet. Awesome.
15:54:49 Yeah, please don't cause for all animal exposures. Just human exposures. And if you keep your pets up to date, they should be okay.
15:54:58 Any other questions from the team. I think that's all that. Oh, yes, one last is rabies. What do you do? Don't touch wild animals or domestic animals that aren't yours. To the
extent you can. And back proof your home. So many of us live in older homes. Older homes have holes in them. So there is some good guidance online. We're gonna be sharing this. If we
haven't already on our social media. How to backup, your home and basic.
15:55:24 What you do is you look for holes that the bats could use to come into your house so like holes in the eaves exhaust pipes where they might come in putting great coverings over
old chimneys so that they can't come in that way. Looking at the ways they get in and closing themselves up so that they don't come into your house and keep your pets up to date. And
then, if you have worries, if you think you've got expose, give us a call. We can help you through it.
15:55:47 And probably I know they like.
15:55:50 Dark, dark places they like to high. And so people who like to explore caves, you know, there's there's.
15:55:59 You know certain habitats that.
15:56:02 Are probably.
15:56:03 Pause, for.
15:56:04 Caution.
15:56:05 And particularly if you're, you know, looking at like this, this gentleman is actually backing that house. That's what he's doing. Is the eaves of your buildings. That's where
they like to be covered places. They aren't trying to get to you. They're just trying to get to a safe place and so making it not possible for them to get inside, makes it less likely
that we ever have to deal with any of this one other common one we do get is, if your cat brought it inside.
15:56:28 Now, what does that mean? Does that mean? I've been exposed to rabies, and generally the cat brought it in. It's that's how it got and it doesn't raise suspicion for rabies.
15:56:40 Alright, that is all of my rabies things. We're gonna talk potentially about some others. And I have diseases. I'm gonna say that for next time. But one we probably want to
cover in the near future is lyme disease.
15:56:54 I love these conversations, turning it back over to you. Sorry car trouble.
15:57:06 That'd be expensive for Mom. Of course.
15:57:11 So we actually don't really have other agenda items other than talk about future potential agenda topics. A list.
15:57:20 In front of you. Anyone have anything additional that they would like to add, or a anything they want to emphasize. Next to, I will say I did ask Dr. Barry about it. A future
meeting.
15:57:35 Doing some analysis of the At Sdr. Reports and the air quality around the Pretense and Paper Company. So.
15:57:44 And I reached out to yeah. And I did. And they just needed 2 monthly time. So if we want to set a date.
15:57:52 You know, or more we've been. I will coordinate with them, I'd say. Let's try to get them on the schedule as soon as we can. I think people are interested in it. So.
15:58:04 Thing.
15:58:07 Anything else, of.
15:58:07 And this is.
15:58:08 This is Apple. I don't know if you can hear me. I'm sorry I've lost my video, but, I just wanted to make a note that the overview for the special Bhc meeting that's on the list
here about the Opioid funds and how to plan around distributing those.
15:58:22 We had intended to do that today, but we couldn't have everybody come. And it's the people that.
15:58:28 You know we would.
15:58:29 Pull together to to report out on that special meeting that happened back on May 30.th But it is really.
15:58:35 Important. And the process has been quite intense and really meaningful. So I wanna be sure that.
15:58:42 As soon as the August meeting that we're able to pull that back into the queue, and be sure that we can present on that together, and that likely will be myself and Anna.
15:58:52 Who.
15:58:53 Covers our behavioral health programming at the at the county as well Asher Eisenhower, who's chair of the Vhc. And we 3 have worked.
15:59:03 Among others, involved.
15:59:06 Quite diligently on how to create a good system for these funds to be distributed across our county. There's a lot of equity in mind.
15:59:13 So we will likely do that for sure.
15:59:17 Pretty sure.
15:59:18 In August, if we can all be there.
15:59:21 Wait!
15:59:22 Thank you.
15:59:22 Hmm.
15:59:24 Anything else.
15:59:25 Upcoming, or of notes.
15:59:28 Apple. Did you want to say anything about membership.
15:59:31 I could do that. Yes, so I welcomed the beginning from the city and we have just had an official letter sent to us.
15:59:43 From Gray Shad, who's unfortunately not able to be at the meeting today.
15:59:49 They have.
15:59:51 And indicated, informed us that.
15:59:54 They will need to resign from the Board of Health in our.
15:59:57 Seat membership for.
16:00:01 Consumers of public health, which is, as you know, a new portion.
16:00:05 2 are the diversity of our board membership as.
16:00:09 I'll still 1180 to 1180 to 1150.
16:00:13 Getting the wrong number now. Too many, too many months since then 1152.
16:00:18 Came into being.
16:00:21 And we've been really appreciative of of Gray's.
16:00:26 Persistence and attendance, and also a lot.
16:00:29 Conversations and interactions, offline about learning, about public health and system, and.
16:00:35 This governmental process, and unfortunately they.
16:00:38 Have gotten a full time employment in Seattle, and I'm gonna need to move so we will. We got that official letter this morning, and we'll need to move on that and then open
up.
16:00:50 The possibility for someone to come in and be interviewed for replacement in that position.
16:00:55 We also are still looking for someone to take the tribal seat to represent.
16:01:02 The tribes in.
16:01:04 Jefferson County.
16:01:09 Well, we thank Shadr for their participation on the Board of Health, and hopefully the move. A new job is.
16:01:17 Benefit to them, but our loss really appreciated their perspective.
16:01:20 On the board, so we'll initiate.
16:01:23 Recruitment.
16:01:24 Of a new member of that position.
16:01:28 Great anything for the good of the order.
16:01:33 I certainly don't mind sharing a little early on a nice spring. Summer afternoon.
16:01:38 Last call.
16:01:40 Anything else for the good of the.
16:01:43 Okay.
16:01:44 We are adjourned. See you all. On August 15.th
16:01:48 Thanks. Everyone.
16:01:49 Have a good day.
16:01:53 Thank you.
16:01:56 Hi.
16:01:55 No public comment.
16:01:57 Sure.
16:02:01 Bye, everyone.
16:02:03 And water some more. Yeah.
14:51:19 From BOH Meeting to Amanda Grace (she/her)(Direct Message):
Since you're not in the chambers, and the minutes were approved, will you approve that I stamp your signature as "Approved Telephonically"?
15:31:37 From Josh Peters, Community Development to Hosts and panelists:
https://www.commerce.wa.gov/serving-communities/growth-management/periodic-update/
15:31:51 From Josh Peters, Community Development to Hosts and panelists:
https://www.commerce.wa.gov/serving-communities/growth-management/growth-management-topics/climate-change-2/
15:32:51 From Josh Peters, Community Development to Hosts and panelists:
https://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/1708/2025-Periodic-Update