City of Redlands takes new steps in response to Coronavirus

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UPDATED INFORMATION AS OF 6 PM, MARCH 16

The City Council and staff of the City of Redlands are concerned for the well-being of all our residents, visitors, businesses and City staff. The City has been actively involved for several weeks in planning, prevention, preparation and response to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

“We want our residents and all visitors to the City of Redlands to know that we are doing all we can to protect your health and safety,” said Mayor Paul Foster. “Our Emergency Management staff within the Redlands Fire Department began planning last month for the potential spread of the Novel Coronavirus and to create emergency plans. The City’s department directors and executive staff are meeting regularly, consulting public health authorities and other stakeholders and examining all possible actions the City can take to contribute to slowing the spread of the Novel Coronavirus and protect residents and visitors, especially the most vulnerable populations.”

Staff will continue to monitor the progress of the virus and will review and evaluate all steps the City has taken and may take in the days, weeks and months to come, through the end of the current pandemic.

As of Monday, March 16, the City has taken the following steps:

  • UPDATED: The Redlands Community Center, Redlands Community Senior Center and Joslyn Senior will be closed beginning Tuesday, March 17, through the end of April. Senior Center personnel are being redeployed to provide daily check-ins and other social interaction by telephone to senior citizens who would ordinarily participate in Senior Center activities. The City will continue to provide limited senior transportation services.

    • Transportation services are limited for medical needs (medical appointments and pharmacy)
    • Transportation is limited to two individuals per trip to minimize exposure
  • UPDATED: The Saturday morning Household Hazardous Waste program has been suspended through the end of April.
  • UPDATED: The Redlands Airport public lobby is closed through the end of April. Airport operations will continue.
  • UPDATED: The lobby for the Facilities and Community Services Office at 35 Cajon St. is closed to the public through the end of April. Those who have business with the Facilities and Community Services Department may call the office at (909) 798-7655 or send a message through the department web page at https://www.cityofredlands.org/profile/facilities-community-services.
  • UPDATED: The offices at Hillside Memorial Park cemetery will be closed to the public through the end of April. Those who have business with Hillside Memorial Park staff may call the office at (909) 798-7569 or send a message through the department web page at https://www.cityofredlands.org/hillside-memorial-park.
  • UPDATED: Meetings of the Historic and Scenic Preservation commission and all City advisory boards, commissions and committees have been canceled through the end of April.
  • UPDATED: Water audits conducted by City staff are suspended through the end of April.
  • On Monday, City Manager Charlie Duggan declared a State of Emergency in Redlands and activated the Emergency Operations Center to a Level 3. The Redlands City Council will take action Tuesday, March 17, to ratify the State of Emergency. Declaration of a local emergency provides additional tools to the City in responding to the public health emergency and allows the City to purchase supplies, materials and equipment without going through the normal bidding requirements.
  • The City Council meeting scheduled for Tuesday, March 17, will go on as planned. However, measures have been taken to limit the number of people in attendance and increase social distancing among residents, staff and elected officials in attendance. Chairs have been removed from the Council Chambers, including the dais, to maintain appropriate social distancing. We encourage residents who do not have business before the council, to view the meetings live at home through Redlands TV on Channel 3 for Spectrum cable customers or Channel 35 for Frontier cable customers, or view the meeting online at https://www.cityofredlands.org/meeting-agendas-minutes.
  • The A.K. Smiley Public Library will be closed through the end of April.
  • All facility reservations for the City of Redlands, including all parks and sports fields, as well as the Redlands Community Center, Redlands Community Senior Center, Joslyn Senior Center, A.K. Smiley Public Library and the Contemporary Club have been canceled through the end of April.
  • All independent classes at Redlands facilities have been canceled through the end of April.
  • The Redlands Police Department has suspended LiveScan (fingerprinting) service to the general public until further notice.
  • The Animal Shelter will see visitors by appointment only. Potential adoptions and lost pets can be viewed online at Pet Harbor at http://petharbor.com/.
  • The City is encouraging the closure of all bars within the City and that all restaurants reduce their capacity by half and encourage the use of curbside food service and at-home delivery, in keeping with the recommendations of Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Department of Public Health.
  • The City is discouraging any private gathering of more than 50 people, including service club meetings, church services and other events, in keeping with the recommendations of Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Department of Public Health.
  • On Thursday, the City discontinued its Thursday night Market Night and Saturday Morning Farmers Market through the end of April. In addition, the Downtown Art Walk, scheduled for March 29, has been postponed to an indefinite date.
  • The Redlands Fire Department has reviewed and updated their protocols for use of Personal Protective Equipment for all firefighter/paramedics.
  • The Redlands Police Department has reviewed its protocols for in-person contact with individuals reporting crime. When appropriate, officers will contact individuals via telephone or practice social distancing for in-person contact. Those wishing to file police reports are also encouraged to make use of the department’s on-line reporting system, available on the department’s web page at https://www.cityofredlands.org/report-crime.  

To date there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the City of Redlands. On Sunday, the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health confirmed its first case of COVID-19 in the county.

“The health and well-being of all Redlands residents, employees and visitors to the City are of paramount importance to us,” said Mayor Foster. “In preparation for a potential local outbreak, over the past few weeks the City had already been in active communication with the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health and we will continue to respond based on the best advice of public health authorities and medical experts.”

City staff are in proactive communication with local organizations with large public reach, including the Redlands Unified School District; Redlands Community Hospital; the University of Redlands; Esri, the City’s largest private employer; and skilled nursing facilities, to share information on the coronavirus and coordinate responses.

“All available City employees will be deployed to ensure that core City functions, including essential public health and safety, are maintained,” said Mayor Foster.

The most effective protection against the virus remains education, good health hygiene habits and social distancing.

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Wash hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
  • Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth, especially with unwashed hands.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using regular household cleaning spray or wipes.
  • If someone does become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough, they should stay away from work, school or other people to avoid spreading illness and contact their healthcare provider if symptoms become severe.
  • N95 masks are not recommended outside a healthcare setting. Surgical masks can be worn by sick individuals to reduce the likelihood of spreading germs to others.

The County of San Bernardino has established a COVID-19 Public Information Line. The line is in operation from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. The phone number is (909) 387-3911. Please note that this line is for Public Information Only. Please contact your Health Care Provider for medical related questions.

For more information, visit the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health website at http://wp.sbcounty.gov/dph/coronavirus/ the California Department of Public Health website at https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/ncov2019.aspx or  the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.