The Chamber held its February Board of Director’s meeting virtually last week, with Chair of the Board Hope Andrade providing opening remarks. After approval of the January Board Meeting minutes, Hope welcomed BCFS System President and CEO Kevin C. Dinnin, who gave a brief history of the organization and shared how the BCFS Health and Human Services Emergency Management Division (BCFS HHS EMD) has responded and continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic emergency in San Antonio, around the state of Texas and in Louisiana.
BCFS HHS EMD has built a stellar reputation in Emergency Management and is the “go-to” resource for the state when responding to man-made and natural disasters, to include fires, floods, hurricanes and other catastrophic weather events, and medical emergencies like the Ebola crisis, N1H1 and now COVID-19.
Dinnin outlined how BCFS HHS EMD has been working on ongoing mitigation and response activities while facilitating hundreds of State Mission Assignments and answering requests for assistance that revolve around the novel coronavirus. These responses include, but are not limited to, providing hospital alternative care sites, nursing home/special infection control assessment teams, rapid response medical task forces, and ICU and med surge staffing. BCFS HHS EMD has also provided a Vaccination Task Force at the Amarillo Civic Center that has administered shots to more than 53,000 people so far.
In San Antonio, Dinnin reported how BCFS HHS EMD is managing the Regional Infusion Center at the Freeman Coliseum, the mobile infusion operations and the infusion hotline. He also outlined how Medical Surge Operations managed by BCFS HHS EMD have served 100 counties throughout the state and activated over 7,500 personnel to 248 hospitals and nursing facilities across Texas. A Rapid Assessment Quick Reaction Force has conducted site assessments at more than 100 nursing facilities to make sure they are in full compliance with the latest COVID-19 health recommendations. BCFS System also launched a Public Health Task Force to conduct internal contact tracing and to support BCFS System personnel experiencing COVID-19 symptoms to prevent spread of the disease which could have impacted operations.
Most recently BCFS HHS EMD responded to the winter weather crisis in San Antonio by supporting the city’s warming facility at the Convention Center with 400 cots, blankets and two emergency medical teams, several tractor trailer loads of water and also provided additional support across the state.
Dinnin shared a comprehensive Situational Report (SIT REP) document with the group that included maps, data, graphs, and charts with detailed operational details.
Public Policy Council Chair J.D. Salinas III, Assistant Vice President of External Affairs at AT&T presented the Chamber’s 2021 federal legislative agenda, where he discussed priorities brought forward from the various San Antonio industry sectors. Salinas emphasized how much of the agenda is focused on support for legislation and funding to address the ongoing health response and economic recovery efforts due to the pandemic, all of which would help our community get people back to work and reinvigorate our economy.
Richard Perez, President and CEO of the Chamber, provided his President’s update and welcomed two new members of the Chamber’s Principal Staff, Katie Ferrier, VP of Education and Workforce Development, and Jeff Fair, VP of Cybersecurity and Economic Development. Richard called on Julie Ring, VP of Image and Communications, to provide Board members with an overview of the Best Place for Working Parents initiative. Julie explained that as a growing city, San Antonio is always looking to attract and retain top talent, and family-friendly policies are some of the best assets an employer can use to find and keep talent. The Chamber has partnered with the Miles Foundation for Best Place for Working Parents San Antonio to recognize family-friendly workplaces and to promote a simple self-assessment tool that businesses can complete to see if you qualify for a Best Place for Working Parents designation. We encourage the business community to complete the 3-minute-long assessment for their organizations at https://business.bestplace4workingparents.com/
