Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS)

Latest Information

• Executive Order No. 80: An Order Amending Executive Order No. 77 (April 27, 2021) | Read

MTAS Resources

MTAS materials here are listed in the order in which they were posted to this page.


Sales and Production of Fraudulent PPE
From Dennis Wolf, MTAS Fire Management Consultant: 7/20/2020

Sales and production of fraudulent PPE – especially N95 and KN95 masks – have increased since December 2019 as people took advantage of the pandemic to make some money.  Many agencies and departments are having problems getting PPE and have to source from unknown sellers. It’s important to be able to identify fraudulent, counterfeit or unapproved products in order to ensure the safety of your personnel.

• COVID-19 Resources for Law Enforcement and Jails (4/23/2020) | Read
• Use of Hydrogen Peroxide for Coronavirus Disinfection (MTAS) (4/22/2020) | Read
• IPS Town Hall Webinar Recording: COVID-19's Effect on Tennessee's Businesses and Communities (posted 4/15/2020) | View
• How to Avoid "Zoombombing" for Tennessee Municipal and County Governments (4/7/2020) | Read
• MTAS Guidance on the Limited Reuse of N95 Respirators (4/2/2020) | Read
• MTAS Memo on COVID-19 and the Ryan White Act (3/31/2020) | Read
• MTAS Guidance on Non-Compliance with Governor Lee's Executive Orders Nos. 17, 21 and 22 (3/30/2020) | Read
• MTAS Q & A on N95 Respirators and Respiratory Protection (3/30/2020) | Read
• Financial Aid Available for Certain Families That Lost Employment Due to COVID-19 (3/25/2020) | Read
• MTAS Summary of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (3/24/2020) | Read
• MTAS Legal Guidance on Executive Order 16 Council/Board Meetings During COVID-19 Emergency (3/23/2020) | Read
• MTAS Template COVID-19 Response Policy for Fire or First Responders | Read
• COVID-19 and Municipal Governments: A Q & A Hot Topic for Tennessee Municipalities (MTAS) | Read
• Tennessee Municipal Public Health Emergency Closures (MTAS Legal Hot Topic) | Read
• Handling Employee (fire, EMT, paramedic, police officer) Exposure to CVOID-19. Dennis Wolf. 3/22/2020 (updated 4/15/2020) | Read
• Use of PPE and Its Effectiveness. Dennis Wolf. 3/22/2020 | Read

Local Municipal Resources

Sample polices and procedures from around Tennessee (for fire or EMS organizations).

• Gilt Edge (TN) Fire Department shared their COVID-19 Emregency Call Response Plan guidelines | Read
• Jackson (TN) Fire Department COVID-19 Response Policy | Read
• Shelby County (TN) Fire Department shared their EMS Operations (Inffectious Disease) | Read
• Bartlett Fire Department Video: The Bartlett Fire Department has prepared a short video to provide information on COVID-19/coronavirus to the public. | View

Other Resources Gathered by MTAS

A new fact sheet from the Technical Research, Assistance Center, Information Exchange (TRACIE) provides a quick reference to help you protect your staff with safe, approved PPE and instructions on how to report sellers of counterfeit products.
 
Respirators for Healthcare during COVID-19: Authorized Use and Avoiding Fraudulent Products recommends the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Certified Equipment List and the Food and Drug Administration’s Emergency Use Authorization list.  These lists give you information on what types of masks or respirators are to be used under what circumstances, use of imported products and indicators of counterfeit products and vendors.
 
Review this guidance and consider keeping it on-hand as a reference to help ensure the safety of people in your department.

(Source: ASPR TRACIE. U.S. Dept. Health and Human Services. Healthcare Emergency Preparedness Information Gateway)

MTAS Partner Resources

Public Entity Partners

• Loss Control Guideline: Rick Management and the Coronavirus: Practical Steps for a Slow, Measured Open (5/8/2020) | Read
• PEP CVOID-19 Coronavirus Resource page https://www.pepartners.org/Pages/COVID-19

Tennessee Municipal League

• COVID-19 Resouce Page  https://www.tml1.org/covid-19-resources
• Clarification on Recreational  Facilities -- Message from Governor Lee's Office as Forwarded by the Tennessee Municipal League (5/14/2020) | Read
• Clarification of Provision 5 in Governor Lee's Executive Order No. 29 (4/27/2020) | Read
• TML CVOID-19 City Situation Survey Results Reports
  • March 26, 2020 report
  • April 1, 2020 report
  • April 8, 2020 report (available 4/16/2020)
  • Survey #4 COVID-19 Local Orders, City Closures and Services
  • Survey #5 Municipal Government Readiness
• TML Economic Summary Reports
  • Summary #9 (Week of 6/12/2020)
  • Summary #8 (Week of 6/5/2020)
  • Summary #7 (Week of 5/29/2020)
  • Summary #6 (Week of 5/22/2020)
  • Summary #5 (Week of 5/15/2020)
  • Summary #4 (Week of 5/8/2020)
  • Summary #3 (Week of 5/1/2020)
  • Summary #2 (Week of 4/24/2020)
  • Summary #1 (Week of 4/17/2020)

State of Tennessee Resources

Office of the Governor

Governor Lee's Daily Live Media Briefings | Join here
Tennessee Pledge: Click here for Main website

• Recreation (Non-Contact, Small Group) | Read
• Access Guidelines for Office Buildings | Read
• Reopening Tennessee Responsibly (4/24/2020) | Read

Letter to Sheriffs, Police Chiefs, District Attorneys General Regarding Executive Orders Nos. 22, 23, and 27 re: Staying at Home Unless Engaging in Essential Activities or Services - 4/14/2020 | Read

Executive Orders and Related Materials (All Executive Orders)

• Executive Order No. 80: An Order Amending Exectuive Order No. 77 (April 27, 2021) | Read
• Executive Order No. 79: Order Permitting Remote Notarization and Witnessing of Documents By Extending Executive Order No. 72, As Amended  (2/26/2021) | Read
• Executive Order No. 78: Order Extending Remote Meetings and Implementing Best Practices Across the State to Promote Transparent Government by Extending Executive Order No. 71, as Amended until 11:59 p.m. CDT on April 28, 2021. (2/26/2021)  | Read
• Executive Order No. 77: Order to Facilitate the Continued Response to COVID-19 by Extending Executive Order No. 73, as Amended  (2/26/201) | Read

Tennessee Elected Official Toolkit "Safer at Home" | Read


Office of the Comptroller

• REVISED COVID-19 Guidance from the Office of the Comptroller Regarding Executive Order no. 16. (3/20/2020) | Read
• State and Local Finance: Additional Resources--Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Adoption Memo (4/20/2020) | Read
• Governor's Local Government Support Grants (4/22/2020) | https://www.tn.gov/finance/governor-s-local-government-support-grants.html

Department of Economic and Community Development

• Sales Tax Loss Forecasting During COVID-19 Resources and Tools (5/8/2020) | Read

Department of Environment and Conservation 

• CVOID-19 Technical Bulletin: What Public Parks and Recreation Facilities Need to Do to "Flatten the Curve" | Read
• Recommendations for Drinking Water and Wastewater Systems Relative to Coronavirus (COVID-19) | Read
• Staying Connected During Quarantine: Temporary Free Internet Access and More (State of Tennessee Economic and Community Development) https://tnecd.com/news/stay-connected-during-quarantine/

Department of Finance and Administration

• Governor's Local Government Support Grants (4/7/2020)
  • Webpage https://www.tn.gov/finance/governor-s-local-government-support-grants.html
  • Overview | Read
  • Allocation among cities | Read

Department of Health

• Coronavirus Resource Page: https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov.html Healthcare providers are asked to call 615-741-7247 if COVID-19 is suspected in a patient.
• Financial Aid Available for Certain Families That Lost Employment Due to COVID-19 | Read

Tennessee Emergency Management Agency
COVID-19 Federal Assistance Guidance (4/17/21020) | Read

Federal Resources 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(800-232-4636)

• Coronavirus Main page https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
• CDC Activities and Initiatives Supporting the COVID-19 Response and the President's Plan for Opening American Up Again. May 2020 (5/21/2020) | Read
• Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Summary https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/summary.html
• Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html
• Resources for First Responders https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/first-responders.html
• Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Patients with Suspected or Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Healthcare Settings (Updated 3/10/2020) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/infection-control/control-recommendations.html
• Interim Guidance for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems and 911 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) for COVID-19 in the United States https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/guidance-for-ems.html
• Update on Personal Protective Equipment from the CDC https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/infection-control/control-recommendations.html
• What Law Enforcement Personnel Need to Know About Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-law-enforcement.html
• Preparing Communities for Potential Spread of COVID-19 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/preparing-communities.html
• Implementation of Mitigation Strategies for Communities with Local COVID-19 Transmission (3/12/2020) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/community-mitigation-strategy.pdf
• Information for Healthcare Professionals https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fguidance-hcp.html
• Healthcare Professional Preparedness Checklist for Transport and Arrival of Patients with Confirmed or Possible COVID-19 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/hcp-preparedness-checklist.pdf
• Get Your Mass Gatherings or Large Community Events Ready https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/mass-gatherings-ready-for-covid-19.html
• Water Transmission and COVID-19 (CDC). Drinking Water, Recreational Water and Wastewater: What You Need to Know https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/water.html

Code of Federal Regulations.
Labor. Part 826. Paid Leave Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Eff. until 12-31-20) 
https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=95228a5a918abcba2b57e3401d6ac893&mc=true&node=pt29.3.826&rgn=div5#_top


US Environmental Protection Agency

• List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2 https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2'
• Letter to Governors Urging Water and Wastewater Employees Be Considered Essential (3/27/202) | Read
• Memo: COVID-19 Implications for EPA's Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Program (3/26/2020) | Read

US Department of Health and Human Services

• TRACIE -- Technical Resources | Assistance Center | Information Exchange https://asprtracie.hhs.gov/
• COVID-19 Healthcare Planning Checklist https://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/COVID19/Documents/COVID-19%20Healthcare%20Planning%20Checklist.pdf

 
US Department of Homeland Security

• Indentifying Critical Infrastructure During COVID-19 (CISA) https://www.cisa.gov/identifying-critical-infrastructure-during-covid-19
• Critical Infrastructure Operations Centers and Control Rooms: A Guide for Pandemic Response (CISA) (4/30/20) https://www.cisa.gov/publication/critical-infrastructure-operation-centers-and-control-rooms-guide-pandemic-response

US Department of Labor. Wage and Hour Division.

• Temporary Rule: Paid Leave Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/ffcra

US Fire Administration. FEMA (4/13/2020)
https://www.usfa.fema.gov/current_events/coronavirus.html

• COVID-19 Cost Recovery for Fire and EMS Departments: FEMA Public Assistance Grants (4/13/2020) https://www.usfa.fema.gov/coronavirus/public_assistance_grants.html
  • Advice from MTAS's Dennis Wolf, Fire Management Consultant (4/9/2020): If a municipality hopes to get any reimbursement for expenses incurred in response to the coronavirus pandemic it is crucial that you have good records on expenses.  For a fire department, that means keeping track of expenses on a suspected or actual COVID-19 response down to equipment used and time spent.  It will be worth your while to watch the IAFC webinar as Starlene Black, Deputy Section Chief, FEMA Public Assistance Training Office, covered the reimbursement process in detail.
• FEMA Fact Sheet April 22, 2020. Addressing PPE Needs in Non-Healthcare Setting https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2020/04/22/coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic-addressing-ppe-needs-non-healthcare-setting#

US Office of Personnel Management 
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/covid-19/


US Occupational Safety and Health Administration

• Workplace Safety Resources https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/
• Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19 (publication) 
  https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3990.pdf
• OSHA COVID-19. Control and Prevention. Solid Waste and Wastewater Management Workers https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/controlprevention.html#solidwaste
• Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Required Poster | Q & A

Other Resources

Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center. International Map of Cases. Total cases, total recovered, total deaths: https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html

American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Clinical Alert. https://www.acep.org/by-medical-focus/infectious-diseases/coronavirus/

American Public Works Association. Coronavirus Resource Page.
https://www.apwa.net/MyApwa/Apwa_Public/Coronavirus_and_the_Public_Works_Community.aspx?utm_source=Informz&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Informz%20Emails&_zs=JkQAE1&_zl=rFwf5

International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF). Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). https://www.iaff.org/coronavirus/

International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC).

• Coronavirus: Resources for Fire Chiefs https://www.iafc.org/topics-and-tools/resources/resource/coronavirus-resources-for-fire-chiefs
• Fire Station Cleaning Recommendations. Communication via the IAFC EMS KnowledgeNet, March 12, 2020. Dr. James Augustine. | Read

International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Resource Page https://icma.org/coronavirus-resources-plan-and-prepare-now-it-hits-your-community?_zs=dCPsb1&_zl=XGBa6

International Personnel Management Association-HR Coronavirus Resources https://www.ipma-hr.org/coronavirus?utm_source=Informz&utm_medium=Mailing&utm_campaign=Default&_zs=6UvUX&_zl=KxO12

National Governors Association. “Coronavirus and what you need to know” https://www.nga.org/coronavirus/

National Institutes of Health. Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) https://www.nih.gov/health-information/coronavirus

Water Environment Foundation.

• "What We Know About Coronavirus and Water Treatment" (WEF Blog Article, March 26, 2020)  https://www.wef.org/wef-waterblog/wef-waterblog/what-we-know-about-coronavirus-and-water-treatment/

World Health Organization  https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019