Nutter Says Philadelphia Is 'Geared Up' For Any Ebola Occurrence Here
By Mike Dunn and Walt Hunter
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Mayor Michael Nutter says Philadelphians should not be overly alarmed about the threat of Ebola reaching this region.
The mayor, flanked by his fire and health commissioners and other city officials, today held a nearly hour-long news conference to lay out the city's preparedness for Ebola or other infectious diseases.
"Should something occur, we are fully prepared to mobilize immediately, and with a level of coordination (among) city, state, federal, hospital, and the first-responder community in particular," he said. "We're geared up and ready to go."
But at the same time, Nutter cautioned residents about becoming alarmed.
"There is a line, I believe, between actively informing the public and potentially scaring the hell out of people. So I think we have to be very, very careful about what we say, and how we say it, and what's the purpose, and all of that for context of what it is we're dealing with here. We have not one case in Philadelphia. We have not one scare in Philadelphia."
With that said, the mayor urged any resident who has traveled to West Africa and suffers flu-like symptoms to call 911 for an immediate transport to a local hospital. He insisted that the city's paramedics and health center workers have protection that meets CDC standards should they have to face possible cases of Ebola.
His comments came a day after the firefighters' union accused the city of trying to save money by ordering protective gowns and masks for paramedics rather than full hazmat suits. Officials say those gowns and masks meet CDC standards for handling Ebola cases.
The City's Health Department also indicated additional protective gear has been ordered for health clinic workers who already have gowns, masks and gloves. It will include protective pants.
The Mayor also spoke out about how Ebola has impacted the city's Liberian community, many of whom have families still in Africa, urging residents to reach out with care and support.
Finally, acknowledging the seriousness of the Ebola threat, he asked Philadelphians to keep it in perspective and not allow it to "dominate our lives."