Kaysville fire officials say a dryer was the source of a house fire Wednesday afternoon. (Credit Kaysville Police | Facebook)
KAYSVILLE, Utah – The Kaysville Police Department is changing how they handle calls because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Officer Alexis Benson says they’re answering as many calls as they can by telephone.
“We just hope people understand that if someone in the Kaysville Police Department were to get the virus, it could cause many of our officers to get the virus and it would potentially keep multiple officers from being able to respond out and help people,” Benson says.
However, police officers are still going out on calls if necessary.
That’s why Officer Benson says they’ve been given N95 masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, and other protective gear. They even had a nurse show them how to use it.
“We filmed her showing us how to put on our eyewear and our masks and how to properly take them off. [She also showed us] how to keep our masks clean so that we can reuse them for different calls,” Benson says.
That is important because masks are in short supply in Utah.
Some staff is only working part-time at the station to reduce the risk of getting COVID-19 or giving it to others.
The Davis County Health Department has issued a stay at home order. Officer Benson says people have been pretty good about following the order, but some people still cannot stay away from the basketball courts and the playground.
However, she says the police do not want to arrest anyone who breaks the stay at home order.
“Our police department is not going to be going out and making traffic stops on anyone that’s out driving their vehicle. Our goal is also not to arrest or give citations out to anyone. Right now, if we’re getting calls about people that are out and about, we’re just trying to educate them,” Benson says.
COVID-19 coronavirus is transmitted from person to person. It is a virus that is similar to the common cold and the flu. So, to prevent it from spreading:
Resources for more information:
LOCAL:
State of Utah: https://coronavirus.utah.gov/
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Utah Coronavirus Information Line – 1-800-456-7707
National Links
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Commonly asked questions, World Health Organization