JUNEAU, AK
(April 3, 2020) –
On March 24, 2020, with unanimous support from the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska (Tlingit & Haida) Executive Council, President Richard Chalyee Éesh Peterson signed Resolution EC 20-12 enacting a “Declaration of a State of Emergency Related to COVID-19 Pandemic”. Shortly thereafter, he activated a Tribal Emergency Operations Center (TEOC) and appointed Public Safety Manager Jason Wilson to serve as the Incident Commander (IC) during this emergency. Wilson will serve in this role with President Peterson as his Policy Group advisor and VPSO 1st Sergeant Corey Padron serving as his Emergency Management Coordinator advisor.
The objectives of the TEOC are to work in the best interest of Tlingit & Haida and its employees, tribal citizens, communities and neighbors to:
- Safeguard the health and well-being of Tlingit & Haida employees, tribal citizens, communities and neighbors,
- Slow/stop the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19),
- Mitigate the economic impact to Tlingit & Haida and its employees from COVID-19, and
- Provide public information related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To this end, President Peterson, IC Wilson, and the entire TEOC will be working tirelessly to meet these objectives and will work closely with other tribal, federal, state and local jurisdictions to get us through this emergency.
It is imperative that folks continue to hunker down and shelter in place in order to contain the spread of COVID-19. Parents are urged to keep children home, not schedule play dates, and avoid group gatherings in public areas.
If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing, contact your local healthcare provider for medical advice.
Tlingit & Haida implores you to not panic and to follow federal, state, tribal and local health mandates. As the TEOC develops, Tlingit & Haida will be doing as much as it can to assist its communities with their needs and will be issuing frequent public health information advisories.
For current information on COVID-19, visit Alaska Department of Health and Social Services at www.coronavirus.alaska.gov or the Centers for Disease Control at cdc.gov.
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Media Contact:
Office of the President - Communications
Raeanne Holmes, Communications Coordinator
