PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT: COVID-19 – YOUR FRIDAY UPDATE
Key NewsApril 17, 2020
An Update from the Village of Key Biscayne
| Good Afternoon, VKB Residents,
Today is Friday, April 17, 2020 and we are in week five of the Village of Key Biscayne’s COVID-19 Response.
We all need to do our part as we continue to work together Individual decisions about “essential services” have a collective impact upon all of us. That is why we are asking each—and every—resident to truly evaluate what services and whose help is really essential to you. The personal decisions you make as to who comes into our community affects the community as a whole. Could you do without certain services? Could you utilize them less often? Do you really need to go outside of your home or property? We have heard from you, our residents, that you want us, your government, to limit the amount of people coming onto our island. We have been exercising our governmental authority, but much of that responsibility is in your hands. Please, do your part. We ask you to think about your loved ones and neighbors who may be more vulnerable to this virus, even if their underlying immune system vulnerability is invisible to the naked eye. If we all work together, then we can succeed together.
Every day the Village of Key Biscayne Incident Command practices the same response priorities:
COVID-19 Pilot Drive-Thru Testing Site After much work and a collaborative effort between the Village of Key Biscayne and the Key Biscayne Community Foundation, a COVID-19 pilot drive-thru testing site for Key Biscayne residents was established earlier this week.
The purpose of the pilot drive-thru testing site is fourfold: to meet expectations of our community, help residents as a public service, inform policy decisions and steer response efforts, including ways to mitigate and control the spread of the virus.
On Tuesday morning the pilot drive-thru testing site at St. Agnes Catholic Church opened for eligible Key Biscayne residents, by appointment only. Upon arrival at St. Agnes, residents were greeted by an officer from the Key Biscayne Police Department, personnel from the Key Biscayne Community Center and/or the Key Biscayne Community Foundation, and guided to proceed through the pilot drive-thru test collection site.
To make an appointment and find out if you are eligible for COVID-19 testing, residents should visit the Foundation’s testing portal at kbcovidtesting.org and complete the application. This portal was created to facilitate the COVID-19 testing process on Key Biscayne. Submission of the application form does not guarantee a test. Residents will be contacted via email for an appointment, if you qualify.
If residents have COVID-19 related questions and wish to speak to someone, the Village of Key Biscayne COVID-19 Call Center (305-365-8910) is up and running Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Current Village of Key Biscayne COVID-19 Status |
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The Chart above illustrates current number of positive cases on Key Biscayne, from Florida Division of Emergency Management’s daily COVID-19 Data Reports.
Village of Key Biscayne Cases as Percentage of the Population |
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The chart above compares Village of Key Biscayne’s COVID-19 Cases with other Florida communities.
Cases on the Key Approximately 210 tests have been administered this week at the pilot drive-thru testing site at St. Agnes. Case numbers are provided by the Florida Department of Health. We are aware of challenges to the integrity of the FDOH data. As we have been stating, data in their reports are provisional and subject to change. As we learn more about the issue, we will act accordingly. As of 10:00 a.m. today, the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) report indicates 59 positive COVID-19 cases on the Key.
Latest Updates:
From the Village of Key Biscayne Horticulturist Watch Episode 3 of “My Backyard” on the Village’s YouTube channel. |
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Office of the Village Manager: Welcome Dr. Roland Samimy We are pleased to announce the recruitment of the Village’s very first Chief Resilience and Sustainability Officer. Dr. Roland Samimy is a coastal systems and water resources scientist with a Ph.D. in Coastal Systems Science, an M.S. in Water Resources Engineering and an M.A. in Environmental Policy. He has held the position of Senior Scientist – Water Resources Technical Manager with Atkins North America (Miami Office) while also maintaining his 17-year long professional association with the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth where he continues to hold the position of Senior Research Manager for the Coastal Systems Program within the Department of Estuarine and Ocean Science. We are excited to propel much of our resilience and sustainability work to a new height with Dr. Samimy on board. #KBResilience
Building, Planning and Zoning/Public Works Department: Building Code Inspections There are new procedures for Building Code inspections to be used during the COVID-19 Emergency Period. Inspections can now be requested at inspections@keybiscayne.fl.gov. Inspections may be performed by qualified professionals, or by the appropriate Village inspector virtually or on-site. Inspection requests must include a permit number, contact name and phone number.
Youth Project Key Biscayne MAST Academy sophomore Victoria Zang has launched a community engagement initiative to encourage young people to wear masks as the new normal. Kids and teens can follow these steps to participate:
Click here for all the details. For more information email MasksForChange@gmail.com.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools Meal Distribution Meal distribution beginning the week of April 20, 2020 will take place on Tuesdays and Fridays from 4 pm to 7 pm. Grab and Go Meals are available at any of the distribution sites on this list: M-DCPS Meal Distribution List.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) We have answers to your frequently asked questions available on the Village website. This webpage will be updated with new FAQs as we continue to work on answering your COVID-19-related questions.
Communications: How can I receive notifications and updates? Sign up at the links below:
If you would like to share this update, a link is available upon request. Send an email to response@keybiscayne.fl.gov with the subject: Link. |
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Key Biscayne Fire Rescue Team is Resilient Our Key Biscayne Fire Rescue team was prepared for last week’s impact, when firefighter paramedics were tested and isolated due to potential COVID-19 exposure. KBFR responded to the impact responsibly following health authority protocol. As Village family, the Fire Rescue team cared for 10 of their team members. Key Biscayne Fire Rescue core and COVID-19 incident services were not interrupted. Safety drives the COVID-19 mission and our KBFR team is driven by their capacity for resilience and renewal in the face of unprecedented challenges affecting our community. All Key Biscayne Fire Rescue members, who were tested and isolated, are healthy, prepared and cleared for duty. We are thankful for the community’s support and concern for Key Biscayne’s frontline responders.
Construction Site Compliance Five construction sites were shut down because of noncompliance with the Village’s Emergency Order 20-5, which required workers to wear protective gear consistent with industry standards. Our Code Compliance officer along with KBPD officers enforced the cease and desist order that shut down the sites. This is a good example of #ItTakesAVillage. Residents saw something and said something, helping to inform the Village of noncompliance and the results are a perfect example of what happens when we all work together. |
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Emergency Order 20-6 effective Monday, April 13 If you are outside of your home, we encourage you to wear a facial covering. If you are entering an Essential Business you must wear a facial covering while inside. The Village Manager executed Emergency Order 20-6 effective 8:00 a.m. Monday, April 13, 2020, in effect through Sunday, May 3, 2020. Emergency Order 20-6 Mandates facial covering for employees and customers at all times while inside Essential Businesses. Emergency Order 20-6 Encourages facial covering for all persons that are outside of their homes.
Remember, the general public should not acquire or utilize N95 or equivalent/higher rated masks, as those are critical supplies for health care workers, police, fire, emergency management, or other persons engaged in life/safety activities.
Miami-Dade County Emergency Order 20-20 Effective April 9, 2020, persons working in or visiting grocery stores, restaurants, pharmacies, construction sites, public transit vehicles, vehicles for hire, and locations where social distancing measures are not possible shall wear facial coverings as defined by the CDC.
Filing for Reemployment The Florida Reemployment Assistance Application can be found on the State’s website, from which it can be printed and mailed to: The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity at P.O. Box 5350 in Tallahassee, FL 32314-5350. It will take longer for the state to process paper applications than electronic ones, but this option bypasses the overloaded website server.
The Florida DEO on Wednesday also announced a new mobile-friendly online application at www.FloridaJobs.org/RAApplication.
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Village of Key Biscayne Department Updates:
Key Biscayne Police Department: See Something, Say Something Public safety is one of the core pillars of our community. We encourage you to join the Village in our efforts to keep Key Biscayners home and safe #KBStayHome. If you see someone not practicing social distance, please report it to KBPD by calling (305) 365-5555. Failure to follow Emergency Orders puts us all at greater risk. #ItTakesAVillage
Building, Planning and Zoning/Public Works Department: Permit Applications Allowed The Village of Key Biscayne’s Building, Zoning and Planning Department will be allowing new permit applications for emergency repairs. To learn how the Department is currently operating and to learn more about new permits being issued at this time click here. To open the Building Application Permit form click here.
Connecting to Sanitary Sewer The Department of Environmental Resources (DERM) is intending to grant an extension to the deadline to abandon septic and connect to sanitary sewer. DERM is still determining how long the deadline should be extended. We will let residents know what their determination is for the extended deadline when that information becomes available.
Water Restrictions Did you know that Miami-Dade County has permanent water restrictions? Click here to view the guidelines. |
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Working with Community Partners:
Key Biscayne Community Foundation: https://www.kbcf.org/covid19-resources/
Key Biscayne Chamber of Commerce: https://www.keybiscaynechamber.org/
Website Resources:
View all response updates and other information on the Village of Key Biscayne website:
Have a great weekend! -Your Village of Key Biscayne |
