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“Powder River Country’s Hometown Newspaper” Volume 5 • Issue 14
This Week’s Highlights
• The Worst Photographer ........................... Page 3 • The Count of No Account Part II......................... Page 5 • Bold Republic: Turn on the Lights ................... Page 7 • Suit against Fracking Rule Change ............................. Page 9 • Lack of Women Trustees Criticized ................................ Page 10 • Cole Sports Report .............. Page 14
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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID GILLETTE, WY PERMIT NO. 5105
April 1, 2015
Avian Influenza Detected in Wyoming State Vet and WGF Urge Caution Handling Birds
tate officials received confirmation on Wednesday that the highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza strain was identified in a Canada goose found near Cheyenne, Wyoming. This is the first detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Wyoming. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the State Veterinarian ask that people continue to be on the lookout for birds that may exhibit symptoms of the disease and advise that those handling birds or who own birds should exercise caution. Avian influenza (commonly called “bird flu”) is a viral infection found in a wide variety of domestic and wild birds. The highly pathogenic forms of the disease (HPAI) are highly contagious among birds and can result in high mortality rates in affected domestic flocks. Clinical signs in affected birds may include edema or swelling of the
head, nasal discharge, neurologic signs (circling, incoordination), depression or sudden death. HPAI has been confirmed in eleven states, including Wyoming, in wild and/or domestic birds. The disease has not been implicated in any human infection in the US, to date. Officials say there is no immediate human health concern due to the virus as long as sanitation precautions are taken. Proper handling and cooking includes routine precautions like wearing latex or rubber gloves when cleaning birds, washing hands with soapy water after cleaning, cleaning and disinfecting equipment and surfaces that come in contact with wild birds (for example, washing with soapy water and disinfecting with a 10 percent chlorine bleach solution), and cooking wild birds thoroughly before eating the meat. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) states that
birds are safe to eat as long as they are properly handled and cooked to a temperature of 165 degrees. Affected birds have now been found in the Pacific, Central, and Mississippi flyways where wild bird migrations occur. Most of Wyoming is located in the Central flyway, with a small portion in the Pacific Flyway west of the continental divide, Domestic flocks associated with this outbreak have reported high mortality with very few noticeable clinical signs prior to death. “Over the past several months highly pathogenic strains of the Avian Influenza virus have been found in wild birds and domestic poultry in several new states including Wyoming,” said State Veterinarian, Jim Logan. “We believe it is best if domestic poultry owners – commercial and backyard flocks - take precautions to prevent their birds from having any contact or
exposure with wild birds. Avian influenza can be transmitted to domestic bird flocks from infected wild birds. We also advise domestic poultry owners to institute good biosecurity practices to prevent bringing pathogens into their facilities.” These measures include: wearing clean clothes, washing hands and disinfecting footwear before entering any bird area. Additional biosecurity practices include: disinfecting equipment and tools, cleaning cages regularly, changing food and water daily are recommended to limit disease transmission within flocks. Information on biosecurity for backyard flocks can be found at http://healthybirds. aphis.usda.gov. While most avian influenza viruses rarely cause clinical signs in wild waterfowl, it appears that raptors and wild gallinaceous birds (pheasants, quail, turkey, grouse) may be more susceptible to disease from HPAI.
Game and Fish recommends that falconers avoid hunting avian species, particularly waterfowl, during this HPAI outbreak. Game bird farmers are advised to follow the same precautions as outlined for domestic poultry. Highly pathogenic avian influenza is a foreign animal disease and is a reportable disease in Wyoming. Owners of domestic poultry and veterinarians are encouraged to report signs of sick or dead birds to the State Veterinarian’s office at (307) 857 4140 or the USDA’s APHIS Wyoming office at (307) 432 7960 for diagnostic and epidemiologic evaluation. If individuals find dead wild birds in the field, they can call their local game warden, wildlife biologist or Game and Fish office. Owners of private game bird farms and falconers should contact Game and Fish personnel with any concerns.
Conference on Aging Set for Cheyenne in April The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) expects the 2015 Wyoming Conference on Aging, set for April 27-30 in Cheyenne, to help those who attend learn about upcoming challenges facing the state’s older adults. “It’s becoming clear that programs serving Wyoming’s aging population need modernization if they are to continue providing services effectively. Tomorrow’s older adults have different ideas
and expectations for their lives,” said Tim Ernst, Community Living Section administrator with the WDH Aging Division. Ernst said he wants the conference to help increase the awareness of current challenges facing Wyoming’s older adults as well as how best to meet the future needs of aging baby boomers. The conference will feature national and regional speakers, interactive discussions
and panel sessions on topics such as mental health, retirement, caregiving, Alzheimer’s and developmental disabilities. A preconference workshop on April 27will focus on elder justice issues, including roles of local and state officials. Conference sessions will be held at the Little America Conference Center and continuing education opportunities are available for several profes-
sional categories. The standard registration fee is $175 with discounts available for attendees over 60 and college students. To register visit http://www. cvent.com/d/jrqk0v online. For general information, contact Shirley.Guiberson@wyo.gov or307-777-7986. To sign up as an exhibitor or sponsor, contact Jamie.Kennedy@wyo.gov or 307-777-5660, orDebbie.Walter@wyo.gov or 307-777-5048.
Conference supporters include WDH, the Wyoming Supreme Court, the Wyoming Department of Family Services, the University of Wyoming’s Geriatric Education Center, AARP, the Wyoming Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities, Mountain Pacific Quality Health and Visit Cheyenne.
Game and Fish Offers Seminars on Large Carnivores to Teach Safety and Awareness It’s that time of year again when bears are waking up and people are preparing to enjoy the great outdoors. As spring arrives, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department reminds outdoor enthusiasts to be “bear aware” and take the necessary precautions to avoid conflicts with large carnivores. Large Carnivore Conflict Coordinator Brian DeBolt said that at this time of year, bears are emerging from their dens. “Typically, male bears emerge from their dens in midMarch and April, while females and young-of-the-year cubs emerge in late April and early May,” DeBolt said. “This makes it an ideal time to attend a workshop to learn about large carnivores and how to avoid encounters and potential conflicts.” Educational workshops will be offered in communities across the state. At each workshop, Game and Fish large carnivore managers will present information about bear, mountain lion and wolf ecology, population status, management and more importantly, what people should do in an encounter situation. In addition, there will be discussion on preemptive measures to be taken by the public in order to reduce the likelihood of conflicts with carnivores. Seminars are free and open to people of all ages and skill levels. Please call your local Game and Fish office for more information.
Department Seeks Safer Ambulance Rides for Wyoming Children A new Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) effort aims to ensure Wyoming children who must be transported in ambulances are as safe as possible during these critical rides. The Wyoming Responders Safe Transport Initiative (WYRESTRAIN) is led by the WDH Office of Emergency Services (OEMS). “It’s a fact of life that there are times when some Wyoming children must be transported in an ambulance because they are very sick or injured, or because they must go along with family members during a crisis,” said Brandon Kelley, OEMS operations supervisor and Emergency
Medical Services for Children coordinator with WDH. “Unfortunately, it’s also true that on very rare occasions ambulances are involved in accidents while carrying patients,” Kelley continued. “If a child isn’t secured properly on a stretcher, is held on someone’s lap or is sitting on an ambulance bench seat, that child may be a higher risk for serious harm during an accident.” “When we looked at data gathered from Wyoming ambulance services, we realized only 40 percent of Wyoming’s ambulances could safely transport children weighing between 22 and 99 pounds. We saw we had a problem and wanted to fix it,”
Kelley said. “The goal of WYRESTRAIN is to ensure that no child is transported in an unsafe manner in Wyoming because crews don’t have the equipment, knowledge, protocols or training to do it the right way,” Kelley said. Approximately 80 percent of Wyoming’s emergency medical service providers are volunteers and many of the state’s ambulance services are quite small with limited resources. OEMS has purchased an ample supply of devices that can be added to ambulances so child patients can be secured safely to stretchers. “We will provide this simple equipment along with
needed training to ambulance services across the state,” Kelley said. Extensive education is planned so all local ambulance agencies will have at least one staff member certified to train others on the safe transport of pediatric patients. Other WDH programs participating in WYRESTRAIN initiative include Maternal Child Health, Safe Kids Wyoming, the Wyoming Trauma and Injury Prevention programs and the Hospital Preparedness Program. The federal Health Resources and Services Administration is also providing financial and technical support.