Brooks Memorial Hospital.

As of last week, no medical equipment, ventilators or personal protective equipment from Chautauqua County was being shared with other hospitals on a regional or statewide level. During last week’s coronavirus briefing in Mayville, county officials said there have been no requests for items – even from Erie County.

Christine Schuyler, county health director, said there is a daily situational report that each hospital in the state compiles that includes the number of patients as well as equipment that is being used. “People have been really great about helping one another,” she said.

County Executive PJ Wendel also noted he is in contact with both Cattaraugus and Erie counties on a regular basis regarding equipment and and the coronavirus crisis. “The connection we have at least in the two neighboring counties has been pretty extensive,” Wendel said. “We’ve got a great working relationship with those counties. … We are in constant contact.”

Earlier this month, cooperation was in question after state Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced he would be sending in the National Guard to collect ventilators from upstate hospitals that would be distributed to regions facing the brunt of the COVID-19 crisis. The governor has since backed away from that order, but it does beg the question: what happens if there is a dire need regionally to assist?

Hospital officials from Brooks-TLC issued a statement that no equipment or supplies have been “shipped anywhere and we do not expect that to happen anytime soon.”

Brooks-TLC also said that all equipment and supplies will remain in place until such time that there is a critical need. “If – and only if – redeployment of supplies is needed, the New York State Department of Health and the Healthcare Association of New York State will work with hospitals to rapidly code and transport equipment. The sending hospital will be notified of the location of its equipment (ventilators) when it reaches its destination. This process will ensure that the sending facility, should it require similar equipment due to a surge in patients, can access its equipment or other equipment will be made available. It is important to note that equipment and supplies are not being taken for stock piling purposes, but rather to address an existing need.”

Whether that need happens, Brooks-TLC noted, depends on if a surge or apex occurs in a community or region. “Equipment and supplies will move only when an emergent need arises,” the hospital statement noted.

UPMC Chautauqua in Jamestown also issued a statement in regard to the sharing of equipment. “We will work with (the Healthcare Association of New York State) to identify resources that could be loaned if the need was to occur,” the spokeswoman said. “This would include ventilators.”