Missoula is one in four locations across the country that are officially prepared to handle a case of Ebola, however, hundreds in the area have made frantic calls to hospitals and emergency services, worried about the issue.

Director of Missoula County Emergency Services Chris Lounsbury said his office takes the role of coordinator in cases that involve public safety.

"We're working with our partner agencies here at the hospital, talking with fire departments, law enforcement, our ambulance services and just to make sure that they have any information or any supplies that they need should there come a time when we have a patient here who has Ebola," Lounsbury said.

"We're also working with our 9-1-1 center now to approve some nationally certified screening criteria that we could use should at some point there be a case  that's reported through the 9-1-1 center, as well," he said.

Lounsbury said the process of providing information to the public is bound by privacy laws, especially in relation to healthcare agencies, which may leave the issue up to social media.

"The public health entities are taking the lead in providing information that people need to know," Lounsbury said. "The health department has a list of frequently asked questions about the Ebola disease, and Missoula's planning right now on their website," he said. "Having a premiere hospital like St. Patrick here means that they constantly train and drill to prepare for any eventuality."

Lounsbury said the best cure for the fear the public has about Ebola or any public health crisis, is information.

"The best cure we have for the fear that's out there right now, is information," he said. "Our office, the health department, all the agencies involved are working to get that information out there to the public, to help allay those fears as much as we can."

 

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