As a Westmoreland County resident, I was not surprised by the article “Commissioners dash calls for Westmoreland health department, trumpet broadband upgrade” (Feb. 18 , TribLIVE). More than 11 months into a pandemic, Westmoreland lacks a countywide plan for testing, contact tracing and vaccine distribution. And with no health department,
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When Kim Ward was sworn in as a Westmoreland County commissioner in 2008, one of her first questions was: Who oversees the county’s health department?
The former respiratory therapist was stunned to learn there wasn’t one.
Westmoreland, like 61 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, leaves the issue of public health to the state to handle. Only four cities statewide have their own health departments. That reality of the state’s public health infrastructure would come back to haunt and frustrate local officials 12 years after Ward asked her question, when the coronavirus pandemic arrived in early 2020.
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Most Westmoreland County employees won’t see additional pay this month for working during the covid-19 pandemic, but commissioners Thursday agreed to a bump in wages for workers from a private company providing care at the county-owned nursing home.
The pandemic pay was included in a contract extension with Dedicated Nursing Associates of Delmont to provide staff to assist with operations at Westmoreland Manor in Hempfield. Commissioners Sean Kertes and Gina Cerilli approved the extension through Jan. 30.
“It’s the only company that can supply us with nurses so, if we don’t have them, we won’t have enough staff to care for our residents at the Manor,” Cerilli said.
Jason Cato | Tribune-Review
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More than $615,000 in covid relief grants were handed out Tuesday to local volunteer fire departments and emergency medical service units as Westmoreland County exhausted its share of federal stimulus money to help struggling businesses, nonprofits and municipalities amid the ongoing pandemic.
Commissioners awarded 24 volunteer fire departments and 10 emergency medical service companies grants to restore lost revenues and cover expenses related to the coronavirus response. Grants to fire departments were capped at $25,000 and emergency medical service awards were limited to $15,000.