Friday Updates - February 28, 2020

WHAT ARE CORONAVIRUSES AND HOW CAN WE PROTECT OURSELVES AND OUR FAMILIES?

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that can spread from person to person. The virus that causes COVID-19 was first identified during an investigation into an outbreak in Wuhan, China. COVID-19 is spreading from person to person in China, and limited spread among close contacts has been detected in some countries outside China, including the United States. At this time, however, this virus is NOT currently spreading in communities in the United States. Right now, the greatest risk of infection is for people in China or people who have traveled to China. Risk of infection is dependent on exposure. Close contacts of people who are infected are at greater risk of exposure, for example health care workers and close contacts of people who are infected with the virus. CDC continues to closely monitor the situation.

Some additional information that may be of interest follows.

• Coronaviruses are respiratory viruses named for the crown-like spikes on the surface of the virus.
• COVID-19 is spread by close person-to-person contact from droplets from a cough or sneeze, which can get into your mouth, nose, or lungs.
• There aren’t many cases in the U.S., so the risk of contracting COVID-19 is low.
• Based on what we know now, the people most likely to get seriously ill from this virus are people over 60 and those with pre-existing health conditions.
• Health officials in the U.S. do not recommend the use of masks among the general public because risk of infection is low and limited to close contacts.
• You are at a greater risk of getting seriously ill from the influenza virus than COVID-19. Get a flu shot if you haven’t already.

There are simple everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses. These include:

1. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
2. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
3. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.

View a flyer HERE to learn more about COVID-19.

FIREFIGHTER/AEMT VACANCY - (Salary range: $46,244 to $48,584)

The Town of Durham, NH is accepting applications to create a hiring eligibility list for the position of Firefighter/AEMT. The hiring list may be active for up to eighteen months and could include a temporary military leave position. 

The full position posting and Town of Durham application may be found on the Town’s website at https://www.ci.durham.nh.us/fire/durham-fire-department-firefighteraemt-position-opening.

Submit materials per the instructions by March 16, 2020 at noon.  Position(s) to remain open until filled.

SWAP SHOP AT THE DURHAM TRANSFER CENTER UPDATE

In late February the sun is slowly getting stronger and so is interest to drop off or look for items at the Swap Shop. Even though we see more of the brown ground, winter guidelines are still being followed. We appreciate your cooperation in following these guidelines. Please review them before dropping off items. 

• Clean, functional, and intake items can be dropped off at the Swap Shop from 7:30am - 2:30pm on Tuesday and Saturday. It is strongly recommended that large drop-offs (e.g., a filled-up vehicle) be dropped off in the morning. Arriving at 2:25pm (five minutes before closing) with a full vehicle of items requires volunteers to stay longer than what’s expected. Arriving in the morning also increases the likelihood that items will be taken.
• No large items of any kind (e.g., furniture, rugs, machinery/tools) are being accepted due to the lack of space and winter weather. This will be the case until further notice (aka real spring weather!).  
• Artificial Christmas trees can be brought to local donation sites like Goodwill (Somersworth, Portsmouth) and Savers (Newington). We have no storage for these bulky items. Artificial Christmas trees are also not in high demand until the end of the year.  
• Two boxes of books per day for a household may be dropped off at the Swap Shop. Books need to be without mold, “dog-chewed” corners, dirt, and broken spines. Nonfiction (information) books need to be no older than five years old. Textbooks are also not accepted. We value books and want to display them properly given our limited space. Thank you for your cooperation. 
• Swap Shop volunteers are critical to keep this valuable community service open. Volunteers inspect, sort, organize, cull, clean, and help move donated items in and out of vehicles. They especially enjoy chatting with Durham residents and giving back to our community.  

Volunteers are always needed and it takes only a few hours to learn the ropes. Please consider giving it a try. Sign-up with a friend or meet a new one!  

Call or text Joanna at 603-969-4732 or Cristina at mailto:foggdrive@yahoo.com

You can also click this link and look for the “Shadow-New volunteers” option. 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0b49a5a828aaf49-swap

CONSERVATION COMMISSION RECEIVES PRESENTATION ON MILL POND DAM FEASIBILITY STUDY

Peter Walker, the Town’s consultant with VHB, gave a presentation to the Conservation Commission this past Monday about the Mill Pond Dam Feasibility Study. VHB is in the process of collecting and reviewing information and will conduct inspections and surveys of the dam and surrounding area soon. There are ultimately four possible alternatives: 1) no action, 2) dam removal with river restoration, 3) repair/rehabilitation of the existing dam, and 4) reconstruction. We could also seek to have the dam reclassified from being a low hazard structure to one that poses no hazard. Mr. Walker said that taking no action, however, is an unlikely avenue given the condition of the dam and the expectations from New Hampshire Division of Environmental Services stated in their most recent letter of deficiency to the Town.

VHB is using a hydrological model that will provide information about how the river and pond would change in terms of depth and width and affects upon water quality, the transport of sediment, groundwater conditions, wetlands and wildlife. They will also examine potential impacts upon fisheries , cultural resources, and views. VHB’s schedule calls for a public information meeting early this summer, a draft report late in the summer, and another public information meeting and issuance of the final report this fall. You can see the full presentation HERE.