City Uses Hi-Tech Bracelets to Keep Workforce and Customers Safe
Fort Lauderdale City employees began receiving an extra level of protection against COVID-19 today, Monday, September 21, 2020. The City has ordered 3,000 safety temperature monitoring bracelets that signal if any employee may be at risk. The smart bracelets provide updated body temperatures with green, yellow, and red indicators every 15 minutes. The City of Fort Lauderdale is one of the first local governments in Florida to provide wearable devices for their employees. Department heads will distribute the wearable devices to all City employees over the coming days so staff can help maintain a safe work environment. In addition, the City will continue to mandate that all employees follow proper safety protocols at work, including wearing a mask, washing hands, following posted signage and practicing social distancing. The City has also made provisions to have free COVID-19 testing for any employee who may have any concerns. To see a video announcement from City Manager Chris Lagerbloom to City employees, visithttps://youtu.be/5T_BMlLYm3M.
Census Deadline Approaching – 9 Days Left to Raise the Count!
The 2020 U.S. Census will end on September 30, meaning there are only 9 days left for City of Fort Lauderdale residents to help raise the count! Currently, Fort Lauderdale’s response rate is 56%, which is more than 10 percentage points behind the national response rate of 66.1%, and 7 percentage points under the state of Florida response rate of 62.9%. If you have not done so already, please respond to the 2020 Census today! Fill out and mail back the questionnaire sent to your home; complete the census form online at www.my2020census.gov; or take the census by phone by calling 1-844-330-2020.
Be Prepared for King Tides
Unusually high tides, called “King Tides” are occurring in our area each month through December. King Tides are anticipated through the end of this week. In addition, the seasonal high tides are expected to return October 14 - 21; November 13 - 18; and December 13 - 15. These tides have historically caused flooding in low lying areas of our community and can be exacerbated by high winds, rain, and storms. The City uses stormwater fees to invest in long-term strategies to adapt to King Tides. We also take proactive action to prepare for the high tides and we encourage our neighbors to do the same. Please review flood safety tips, evaluate your property’s readiness, and review your flood insurance policy. Avoid driving on flooded streets. Be aware of the timing of the high tides and how they may affect your travel plans. If you experience flooding on your street, make sure storm drains are not blocked and remove waste carts as soon as possible once emptied, or wait until your next scheduled collection day to put them out. For more details, visit bit.ly/2Ulrd27.
Department of Health Information
According to the Florida Department of Health, as of September 21, 2020, from approximately 38,998 daily COVID-19 tests conducted statewide, there were 1,701 positive results and 37, 297 negative results for a positive rate of 4.36%. There were also 21 reported deaths. In Broward County, from approximately 5,243 daily tests conducted, there were 131 positive results and 5,112 negative results for a positive rate of 2.50%. In total, results from 552,225 tests administered in Broward County indicated 475,541 negative results, 75,801 positive results, and 883 inconclusive results. To see the latest data from the FDOH, visit bit.ly/2wb29D2 or bit.ly/2ZfwR9n.
COVID-19 Testing Site at Mills Pond Park
The Florida Department of Health is operating a drive-thru COVID-19 testing site at Fort Lauderdale’s Mills Pond Park, located at 2201 NW 9 Avenue. The site offers free drive-thru testing Monday – Wednesday and Friday – Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. The testing site is closed on Thursdays and Sundays. Testing is available to anyone with or without COVID-19 symptoms. There are no age requirements and no doctor referral is needed. Appointments are not required. Patients will receive test results via text messaging. For more information, contact the Florida Department of Health in Broward County at 954-412-7300 or visit bit.ly/ftlcovid19testing.
COVID-19 Testing at Holiday Park
Fort Lauderdale’s Holiday Park offers free drive-thru rapid COVID-19 antigen testing with same day results, as well as free drive-thru oral self-swab testing. Located at U.S. 1 and N.E. 8 Street (just south of Sunrise Boulevard), rapid COVID-19 testing is offered Tuesday - Saturday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. to individuals of any age with COVID-19 symptoms or individuals ages 5 to 17 or 65 and over without COVID-19 symptoms. Appointments and photo ID are required. To schedule an appointment, visit www.tourhealth.com. Most results are delivered via text or email within a two-hour timeframe. Free drive-thru COVID-19 oral self-swab testing is available, Tuesday - Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., to anyone age 5 or older with or without COVID-19 symptoms. No doctor referral needed. Proper photo ID is required. To schedule an appointment, visit florida.curativeinc.com/welcome. Patients who do not receive test results after 72 hours, may contact Curative, Inc. via email atsupport@curativeinc.com. For details, visit bit.ly/ftlcovid19testing.
School Board Workshop on September 22
A special Broward County School Board Workshop will take place on Tuesday, September 22 at 10 a.m. to discuss plans, strategies, and timing for reopening campuses for face-to-face learning. As part of the meeting, Broward County Superintendent of Schools Robert W. Runcie will present the eLearning Phase 2 reopening plan to the School Board for review and recommend that Broward County Schools reopen for face-to-face learning on Monday, October 5. To view the agenda for the special School Board Meeting, visitbit.ly/3mBMuSX. To view video messages from Superintendent Runcie, visitbit.ly/3msdcx9.
Weekly Food Distribution at Mills Pond Park on September 24
The next drive-thru food distribution event hosted by the cities of Fort Lauderdale, Oakland Park, and Wilton Manors will take place on Thursday, September 24 beginning at 9 a.m. at Mills Pond Park, located at 2201 NW 9 Avenue. Produced in partnership with Feeding South Florida, the event provides healthy and nutritious food to those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Food is distributed on a first come, first served basis (while supplies last). Recipients must remain in their vehicles and will be instructed to open their trunk when volunteers are ready to load it. To access Mills Pond Park, please enter from southbound NW 9 Avenue. For more details, visit bit.ly/2K8cnrn. For more information about Feeding South Florida, visit www.feedingsouthflorida.org. To make a donation to Feeding South Florida, please visit bit.ly/2WJVl8Y.
Public Meeting on Kinney Tunnel Rehabilitation and Tunnel Top Park on September 24
The Florida Department of Transportation and the City of Fort Lauderdale will host a virtual public meeting on Thursday, September 24 at 5:30 p.m. to provide an update on the Tunnel Top Plaza project and the Henry E. Kinney Tunnel rehabilitation. To register for the GoToWebinar and receive the link to join, visit bit.ly/2ZqZyjO. To join by phone, call 415-930-5321 and use the access code 283-184-198. To view a copy of the presentation prior to the workshop, visit bit.ly/2ZE2DgF. If you have questions or technical issues during the workshop, contact Laila Haddad at 786-837-4881. For details, visitbit.ly/3mCxXpI.
Happy Hour with The Galleria Featuring Laura Vivas on September 24
Laura Vivas, former contestant on NBC’s The Voice, will headline Happy Hour with The Galleria, The Galleria at Fort Lauderdale’s free virtual music series that will take place on Thursday, September 24, at 5 p.m., via Facebook Live at facebook.com/GalleriaFtLauderdale. A native of Puerto Rico, Vivas’ career began at age 18 singing back-up for local artists. Since 2007, she has been the lead singer and the lone female in a six-piece South Florida cover band called Re-Mix. She has opened for artists such as Roberta Flack, Chaka Khan, Bruce Hornsby, and more. For details, visit facebook.com/GalleriaFtLauderdale.
COVID-19 Roundtable with Broward Leaders on September 25
Join leaders from Broward County including Mayor Dale Holness, Superintendent of Broward County Public Schools Robert Runcie, and Broward Health CEO Gino Santorio for a COVID-19 Roundtable. The free webinar, which will take place on Friday, September 25 at noon via Zoom, will be moderated by James Donnelly, CEO of The Castle Group. For details and to register, visit bit.ly/33N8q4T.
See Something Say Something Awareness Day on September 25
On Friday, September 25, Florida will recognize “If You See Something, Say Something” Awareness Day. The campaign is designed to raise public awareness about the indicators of terrorism and terrorism-related crime, as well as the importance of reporting suspicious activity to state and local law enforcement. Citizens, businesses and schools are encouraged to participate by visiting the campaign website at flseesay.org to learn tips on how to be more aware of their surroundings, educate themselves on suspicious activity indicators, review proper reporting procedures, and more. For details, visit flseesay.org.
MASS District to Host Drive-in Movie Night on October 1
Jack & Jill’s Young Professionals Group in partnership with the Jack & Jill Children’s Center and the Mass District will present a double-feature Drive-in Movie Night. The event will take place on Thursday, October 1 at 8:00 p.m. in the MASS District, located at 844 NE 4 Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. Featured screenings will include the 2008 comedy “Step Brothers,” and the 1993 Disney family film “Hocus Pocus.” Admission is $30 per vehicle for one film or $40 per vehicle for both movies. For details and to purchase tickets, visitbit.ly/2EjXrXW.
Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show Set for October 28 - November 1
The Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF), owners of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS), along with show producer, Informa U.S. Boat Shows, are pleased to announce that the 61st annual FLIBS will go on with support from government officials in both Broward County and the City of Fort Lauderdale. The five-day outdoor boat show will take place from Oct. 28 – Nov. 1 with Informa Markets’ comprehensive AllSecure health and safety standards in place designed to create an exceptional visitor experience that prioritizes the safety of all attendees, exhibitors, crew members, and staff. For more details, visit www.flibs.com.
Check Caller ID to Avoid Contact Tracing Scams
The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) encourages everyone to avoid scams by checking caller ID for phone numbers from official COVID-19 contact tracers. The FDOH is asking Floridians to answer calls from the following three phone numbers: (833) 917-2880, (833) 443-5364 and (850) 583-2419. The Department’s team of contact tracers will discuss potential exposure to COVID-19 with you. For more details, visitfloridahealthcovid19.gov/prevention.
COVID-19 Plasma Donors Needed
According to the Broward County Medical Reserve Corps (BCMRC), there is a critical shortage of plasma in our community. If you tested positive for COVID-19, a small amount of your blood could save the life of someone suffering from the coronavirus right now. Donating plasma is safe and easy. Individuals interested in donating may visitbit.ly/2E1q1fT to register. Thank you for being a hero!
Find Local COVID-19 Statistics on Broward County Dashboard
To help residents understand the magnitude of the pandemic locally, Broward County is posting a daily statistical dashboard of COVID-19 indicators. The data includes statistics on number of positive cases, positivity rates, hospitalizations, hospital capacities, and deaths. To view the dashboard, visit bit.ly/2CncuPv.
For Additional Information
For additional information regarding Coronavirus, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommended protective measures, please visit:
Ways to Stay in Touch
The City of Fort Lauderdale offers numerous ways for neighbors to receive important information and updates:
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