[2:00 pm]
County, Cities, Public Health and Safety, and Emergency Services entities from throughout Cowlitz County have
joined to activate an Incident Management Team (IMT) in order to better coordinate the local response to the
COVID-19 pandemic. The team will include representatives from Cowlitz County Department of Health and
Human Services, and Peacehealth St. John’s Medical Center.
An Incident Management Team (IMT) provides incident management support during incidents or events that
exceed an individual jurisdictions or agency’s capability or capacity. Cowlitz 2 Fire and Rescue Chief Dave
LaFave has been designated as the Incident Commander and the team will operate under the National Incident
Management’s Incident Command Structure. The IMT has established a Joint Information Center through which
press releases and relevant information and updates will be released to the community. In the coming days a
hotline will be established to provide 24 hour information to county residents regarding useful information and
the local COVID-19 response.
Public Health continues to remind people to take the following actions to keep themselves healthy:
- Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. When soap and water are not available,
use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Cover coughs and sneezes. Use a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands.
- Stay home and away from others when sick.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces that are frequently touched.
- Practice social distancing. Social distancing is deliberately increasing the physical space between people
to avoid spreading illness. Staying at least six feet away from other people lessens your chances of
catching COVID-19.