Covid-19 Community Update: 1 May

Warm Springs, OR May 1, 2020

Contact: Louie Pitt, Jr.
Director Government Affairs & Planning
Email: louie.pitt@wstribes.org
Phones: 541-553-3540/541-777-1359

“As of 4:30 p on 5/1/2020 – Warm Springs Health and Wellness Center has sent in or tested 191 test samples, with 167 Negative, 14 pending and 10 positive. (12 tested or sent for testing today – of note we had some number differences from yesterday’s total count that were corrected today). In addition, the STATE lab is taking 24-48 hours for results.” CoVid-19 Brief & Update, Hyllis Dauphinais, CEO, WarmSprings Health and Wellness Center.

“Today and every day since we stood up our incident command and Tribal Partners response team, I have worked together with an amazing team of committed community members in response to the CoVID19 pandemic. This team has been tasked with providing recommendations to the Tribal Council. I thought I would recognize the members of the current Tribal Partners response team. The tribal health and social services director Ms. Caroline Cruz continues to work on grant funds and other CARES act funding for the tribe to ensure we can pay for our CoVID19 response, as well as address the ongoing needs of the community while we are in this Stay At Home Save Lives order. Emergency management and partner Incident Commander Mr. Danny Martinez continues to actively reach out to the State and other local partners for supplies to support our operations. Amazingly, he does this with such ease and fluidity. Our public safety officer and partner Mr. Carmen Smith provides daily briefs about the status of our PD’s response to our community needs and the safety of our community. Today, he sent a couple of PD officers to join our morning Incident Command brief to review our traffic flow plan. Finally, our tribal public relations office Mr. Louie Pitt continues to interpret the information he receives to ensure a consistent and clear message reaches the community around the CoVid19 response. Others who continue to provide valuable contributions to the team include Ms. Michele Stacona, Mr. Mike Collins, and Ms. Nancy Seyler. (My sincerest apologies if I forgot anyone). I cannot thank this group enough for their ongoing commitment, time and energy. Thank you team.

Additionally, I want to thank the members of the IHS incident command. Michele Miller, Dr. Rachel Locker, Michelle Spaulding, CDR Amy Whistler, Yvonne Iverson, Diane Fuller, CAPT Jim Gemelas and Dr. Damon Pope. Our tribal and community support team includes Katie Russell, Raymond Hurtado and Russell Graham, with an occasional visit from our Warm Springs PD, Corrections and Fire & Safety personnel. What a great group to work with and more importantly, what a committed group of individuals to take on the day-to-day task of our CoVID19 response and operations here at the Warm Springs Health & Wellness Center. I have so much respect and appreciation for the entire WSHWC staff for their commitment and love of community, thank you team truly appreciate all that you do. Another shout out to Carlos Calica for blessing our team with a morning prayer. Beautiful!” Hyllis Dauphinais, CEO Warm Springs Health & Wellness Center.

The brief report from CEO Dauphinais was from the heart and while we take a breath, our Warm Springs community is thankful for his tremendous leadership, he has proven to be a very capable and professional leader in this trying time.

STAY HOME, SAVE LIVES

Press Release 5-1.2020

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