DeKalb Activates COVID-19 Emergency Response Plan

County prepared to provide essential services

DECATUR, Ga.—DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond has directed all county departments to activate their emergency operations plans to protect the public and employees while ensuring the continuation of essential services.

“Our government will continue to serve the people of DeKalb County,” CEO Thurmond said. “We are taking every precaution to limit the spread of the virus in our community.”

The following protocols are in place:

Water

• If needed, the Department of Watershed Management has identified a supplemental certified workforce to ensure continued operations of the water treatment facility.
• The county has reviewed its mutual aid agreements with the state of Georgia to receive emergency assistance to continue service if necessary.
• In 2017, CEO Thurmond signed an executive order establishing a moratorium on all residential water cutoffs while a customer’s bill is dispute.

 Public Safety

• To ensure maintenance of appropriate police staffing levels, all detectives will be in uniform as backup reserve officers.
• The Fire Rescue Department has acquired additional personal protective equipment in order to respond to potential COVID-19 calls.
• Adjusted questions asked by E911 staff to identify suspected cases of COVID-19 during the call-taking process by using the emerging infectious disease surveillance system.

 Senior Centers

The county’s 317 Meals on Wheels clients will continue to be served as normal.

• The North DeKalb, South DeKalb, DeKalb-Atlanta and East DeKalb (Bruce Street) senior centers will be open to distribute meals to their 559 customers only. Seniors will be able to pick up their meals between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. Senior customers of these centers who do not have transportation should call 770-322-2950 from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• The Lou Walker and Mason Mill multipurpose senior centers will be closed until further notice.

Sanitation

• Qualified beautification unit employees will be used to supplement sanitation division driver and refuse collector operations.
• The sanitation department has identified retired sanitation employees to supplement operational teams if necessary.

Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs

• While DeKalb’s recreation facilities will be closed to the public, all county parks will remain open for outdoor use. All group gatherings, rentals, program and activities will be suspended from March 16-31.
• Students will be able to pick up snacks at the following DeKalb County recreation centers from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday:
  • Gresham Recreation Center, 3113 Gresham Road, Atlanta, GA 30316
  • Exchange Intergenerational Recreation Center, 2771 Columbia Drive, Decatur, GA 30034
  • Redan Recreation Center, 1839 Phillips Rd.,Lithonia, GA 30058
  • Tobie Grant Recreation Center, 644 Parkdale Drive, Scottdale, GA 30079
  • H. Scott Recreation Center, 2230 Tilson Road, Decatur, GA 30032
  • Lucious Sanders Recreation Center, 2484 Bruce Street, Lithonia, GA 30058
  • Mason Mill Recreation Center, 1340- B McConnell Drive, Decatur, GA 30033
  • HamiltonRecreation Center, 3263 Chapel Street, Scottdale, GA 30079
  • Midway Recreation Center, 3181 Midway Road, Decatur, GA  30032

Department of Information Technology

• The information technology department is procuring additional licenses and technology for virtual meetings.
• The department has ordered 100 laptops to help support additional technology requirements.
• Employees with county-issued laptops or iPads have been instructed to take them home each day, as well as any tools/resources they would need to work remotely.

Additional operational updates will be available as issued and can be found at www.dekalbcountyga.gov/coronavirus.