Page 5 - Fort Irwin High Desert Warrior, August 2020

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High Desert Warrior 5 August 2020
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MEDDAC Minute
COVID-19 Testing Q & A
Q: What does the test result mean?
A: A viral test tells you if you have a current infection, it’s a snap shot in time.
Q: What should I do if I think I need to be tested for COVID-19?
A: You should contact the COVID-19 Hotline at 760-383-5304.
Q: If healthcare providers have tested positive but are asymptomatic, are they staying home or still coming to work/seeing patients?
A: If a healthcare worker tests positive they are treated exactly the same as any other person who tests positive. The Healthcare worker will be placed on isolation until the individual meets the criteria to be released from isolation.
Q: Why is testing denied to individual Soldiers with symptoms?
A: When an individual Soldier, with or without symptoms, presents to the hospital, a medical provider conducts an assessment and testing is based on whether the Soldier meets criteria for testing and the overall clinical assessment.
Q: If a service member received a positive COVID-19 test result, what is the cur- rent guidance regarding those staying in the same home? Should they isolate with the SM, or are they permitted to go out and shop?
A: An ADSM who tests positive for COVID-19 will receive specific guidance from their respective PCM, and/or Chain of Command. The family members, in the same household must remain quarantined in your home for 14 days.
Q: We are PCS’ing to Fort Irwin and were told that COVID Testing was mandatory for all persons PCS’ing to Fort Irwin. We do not want to put our children through the test. Do we have any options?
A: COVID-19 Testing is mandatory for all Service Members PCS’ing to Fort Irwin. Family members who do not wish to be tested will be considered for quarantine for 14 days as outlined by CDC.
You may visit the CDC website on methods to care for a family member at home who has COVID-19 at:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/care-for-someone.html
COVID precautions, as outlined by CDC, may be found at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/global-cov-
id-19/handwashing.html
Failing power pole forces emergency power outage on post
Janell J. Lewis Ford
NTC/Fort Irwin Garrison Public Affairs
FORT IRWIN, Calif. — Necessary repairs have been made to power sources, following an emergency outage on July 23 at the National Training Center and Fort Irwin.
Earlier that day, the installation experienced a power out- age that lasted less than 30 minutes, caused by floating debris. During that time, Southern California Edison (SCE) discovered a failing power pole that feeds electricity to the installation.
The brief outage, “helped SCE to catch a potentially cata- strophic failure that could have dropped a 115,000-volt line onto a rail line,” Paul Schonenberger, the Directorate of Public
Work’s Installation Energy Manager said.
SCE said that due to a potential electrical emergency, they
needed to terminate services for repair. They said an outage from 10 p.m. – 4 a.m. was required, otherwise, NTC/Fort Irwin could be without power for a much longer period of time.
This outage impacted everything on the installation, except the 24-Hour Shoppette which remained opened.
“Thanks to many in DPW, our Base Maintenance contrac- tor, and others moving swiftly and decisively, we were able to accommodate SCE with little impact to the installation allowing them to avoid a disaster,” Schonenberger said.
Residents were advised to open one window on both sides
of their house to generate air circulation and temperatures over- night dipped to 70 degrees. The Garrison provided its normal list of best practices for all concerning computers and equipment, and the Directorate of Public Works reminded residents and employees to leave refrigerator and freezer doors closed, as they could survive well for the duration of the outage.
Fort Irwin schedules two power outages each year in the Spring and Fall to prevent surprise power outages. During the operation, SCE crews conduct pole replacement, along with maintenance and repairs on the power line that feeds Fort Irwin. The outage scheduled for March 2020 was canceled due to the onset of coronavirus.
For more information go to home.army.mil/irwin