Town of Hornellsville

5,000 MASKS AWAIT BIRD FLU: HORNELLSVILLE SUPERVISOR HAS BOXES READY FOR RESIDENTS AT TOWN HALL:

Hornellsville town Supervisor Kenneth Isaman is taking the potential for a pandemic outbreak of bird flu seriously.

Isaman, who happens to be chairman of the Steuben County Legislature's Health and Education Committee, said his interest stems from experience.

“I've had a personal interest in the West Nile virus over the past few years,” he said. “One of my relatives - a cousin - was the gentleman from Rochester who actually contracted West Nile and was close to death. Then I heard about pandemic flu.”

In fact, Isaman noted Hornellsville was the first in the area to invite the county's Public Health and Nursing services office to conduct an information session on avian flu. Now he's decided to take it a step further.

With a little help from St. James Mercy Hospital, Isaman has acquired 5,000 surgical masks. The masks, he said, could go for as much as 80 cents a piece. Thanks to the hospital, however, they cost the town just under $400.

“I guess I'm on a mission for the town - and maybe the county - to help educate on how all of us should be aware and have some preparation done,” Isaman said. “All indications are that it will be spread, and it's spread by migratory birds. We certainly have plenty of those within our own borders of Steuben County and New York state.”
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Isaman said the town has files on all of its homeowners and could find out from landowners who their tenants are. In the event of an outbreak, he believes there will be enough time for residents to be notified and come by town hall to acquire a mask.

“If a pandemic was to hit we would have some sort of early warning system,” Isaman said. “I think we'd have some time to distribute these without fear of it spreading.

“It's all in the old Boy Scout motto: Be prepared,” he added. “We're set if something occurs. We have 4,000 residents.”

Isaman said the town may also store some water at town hall, but he urged residents to be sure and have adequate supplies of water and food at home. Preparation, he said, will help with other emergencies as well.

Travis said being prepared is the right thing to do. Pandemics happen every 30 years, she said, adding whether it's bird flu or something else, time is running out.