FAIRBORN — The City of Fairborn remains under a state of emergency until at least May 1.
Fairborn City Council members were initially scheduled to meet April 6 to discuss extending the emergency declaration. However, the meeting was canceled last week. City Manager Rob Anderson said the emergency declaration was written in a way that did not lock the city into the state of emergency until a certain date.
All Fairborn parks events and public meetings are canceled until at least May 1. Parks remain open. However, playground equipment, disc golf courses, the Wag Pad dog park, as well as fitness, basketball and tennis courts are closed. The city’s tool lending closet is also closed.
“We are in uncertain times, but we must not lose sight of the fact that this will get better and we will get back to our normal lives,” Anderson said previously. “Yes, we have to change our habits for a period of time, but by doing this we can get back to normal faster. Stay safe, wash your hands and look out for each other.”
If individuals have business to do with the City of Fairborn, they are encouraged to do so online:
— File building permits at http://bit.ly/fairbornpermits
— File engineering permits at http://bit.ly/fairbornengineeringpermits or contact 937-754-3055
— Pay water bill at http://bit.ly/fairbornwaterbill
— Pay income tax (which has been extended to file by July 15) at http://bit.ly/fairbornincometax
— Water shut-offs have been suspended; to re-activate water that has been shut-off, contact the utilities department at 937-754-3007. Individuals are still encouraged to pay their water bill.
The Fairborn Police and Fire Departments are still operational. However, the police lobby is closed. If individuals are experiencing an emergency, they can call 911; if they are experiencing a non-emergency, they can dial 937-754-3000. If individuals in need of assistance of the city’s safety personnel are experiencing flu-like symptoms, they must convey that information to dispatch.
The Fairborn Fire Department is not offering tours, ride alongs or business inspections at this time. The amount of riders permitted in the back of medics if a patient is transported to a medical facility is also limited.
Fire personnel are taking proactive measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by utilizing personal protective equipment, and are taking steps to conserve the amount of gear they have available by following new protocols when responding to calls.
Local first responders are conducting “threshold assessments” in which one member of the responding crew will approach the home first to see if the medical actions can be performed outdoors and/or by less responders. That way, crews are able to conserve as much of personal protection gear as possible. Fairborn Fire Chief Dave Reichert highlighted that if one member of the Fairborn fire crew becomes infected with COVID-19, “it starts a snowball effect.”
“Stay safe, wash your hands and look out for each other … Most of all, please try to show each other some grace,” Anderson said. “We are all struggling trying to adapt to these new rules. The least we can do is be kind to each other.”
