Vermont National Guard ready to assist in COVID-19 pandemic - vtdigger.org

Airmen stand at attention during a formal ceremony commemorating the arrival of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft to the 158th Fighter Wing at the Vermont Air National Guard base in South Burlington on Saturday, October 19, 2019. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger

Army National Guard Col. Randall Gates doesn’t usually work from home or work on Saturdays, but he was doing both this weekend as he monitored communications about COVID-19, the virus that has quarantined millions of people worldwide.

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott on Friday activated the Guard, meaning that while there are no requests for their services yet, the Guard will be ready to act if there are.

Scott’s office said Guard members might be asked to assist with moving personal protective equipment, delivering meals or other provisions, and providing a liaison between communities and state agencies.

“We’re sort of in a wait mode now,” said Gates on Saturday from his home in Charlotte.

Five cases of COVID-19 had been identified by the Vermont Department of Health as of Saturday — four presumptive positive cases as well as a fifth that was confirmed by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

To slow the spread of the disease and mitigate the impact on hospitals and health care providers, Scott, like other public officials worldwide, has asked people to limit their social contact with others and to self-quarantine if they think they might have symptoms that indicate they have the coronavirus.

Most of the larger entertainment, sports and cultural venues have closed. And many people – particularly those who are vulnerable because of existing medical conditions – are staying home.

Asked what type of services he expected the National Guard to provide, Randall – whose job is to serve as chief liaison between agencies and the adjutant general – said that the National Guard in New York State is transporting food to people unwilling to leave their homes. They’re also transporting medical samples from patients to the New York Department of Health.

“That is something I envision we could do here in Vermont if we’re asked to by the Vermont Department of Health,” he said. He added that state agencies are often required to find private entities to do tasks before calling on the Guard.

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“We’re sort of the last resort, at a point where state agencies have exhausted all methods,” he said.

Following the plan drafted by Vermont Emergency Management, the National Guard could also be asked to extend its reach to areas such as helping to handle dead bodies in a crisis.

“We have abilities such as mortuary affairs,” said Gates. “If Gutterson Field House was envisioned as a facility to be used as a morgue or something – you’ve got to think of a place that’s really cold — does the Vermont National Guard provide security for that?”

Or “the Department of Health might ask one of our nurse practitioners to be at the health operations center for additional help and guidance,” he said.

Rep. Tom Stevens, D-Waterbury and chairman of the House Committee on General, Housing, and Military Affairs, said the National Guard had informed his committee that they were talking about emergency preparedness with the Scott administration. Stevens said he emailed the deputy adjutant general Friday to ask if armories would be needed to serve as areas for isolation.

“The response indicated that that decision had not yet been made, but was not ruled out,” he said Saturday.

There are about 3,200 people in the Vermont National Guard, with 900 in the Air Guard and 2,300 in the Army Guard, said Capt. Mikel R. Arcovitch, the Guard’s state public affairs officer.

As of Friday, the governors of six states — Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, New York, Rhode Island and Washington — had activated components of their Army and Air National Guard, the Military Times reported. Guardsmen in California and Maryland were expected to be activated Saturday, according to a press release from the National Guard.

“At the national level, Guard members are training personnel on COVID-19 response, identifying and preparing National Guard facilities for use as isolation housing, and compiling state medical supply inventories,” the Guard said in the release. “National Guard personnel will provide assistance to the states that include logistical support, disinfection/cleaning, activate/conduct transportation of medical personnel, call center support, and meal delivery.”

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