Mass. officials: Ebola causing ‘spike’ in demand for equipment

STATE CAPITOL BRIEFS – AFTERNOON EDITION – THURSDAY, OCT. 23, 2014

STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

MASS. OFFICIALS: EBOLA CAUSING “SPIKE” IN DEMAND FOR EQUIPMENT

State officials have heard concerns about “supply chain shortages” for personal protective equipment and are monitoring the situation as the U.S. preps for potential Ebola cases. Massachusetts Public Safety Undersecretary Kurt Schwartz said Thursday that he had heard concerns from first responders about the shortages and concerns about potential delays in receiving protective equipment. Schwartz told a Beacon Hill panel reviewing response capabilities that the state has had initial conversations about setting up “regional capability,” such as SWAT teams, that can handle the response instead of multiple fire or emergency service departments needing to be prepared for management of an Ebola patient. Ebola has caused an “incredible spike in demand” for protective equipment, Schwartz told reporters after his testimony. Schwartz was joined by Department of Public Health Commissioner Cheryl Bartlett and Mary Clark, director of the Office of Preparedness and Emergency Management. Bartlett and Schwartz declined to predict whether legislative appropriations will be sought for Ebola preparedness efforts, but preparedness efforts have led to communities eying the potential repurposing of homeland security grant funds, Schwartz said. “Our dollars on homeland security are already stretched,” he said. A police chiefs representative told lawmakers they are concerned about a “loophole” in state law that could impede their ability to enforce a quarantine. Firefighters were scheduled to testify at the Ebola oversight hearing prior to its conclusion. [Developing] – G. Dumcius/SHNS

DAVEY: “NOT MY JOB TO GET INTO GEO-POLITICAL CONCERNS”

Transportation Secretary Richard Davey “respectfully” disagrees with former Massachusetts Republican Party Chairman Robert Maginn, who predicted future fallout Wednesday from the state’s contract with CNR MA, a subsidiary of the world’s largest train manufacturer, which is located in Beijing. “Bob spoke very passionately yesterday, and had some very personal views about it, and I respect that,” Davey told the News Service after a skate park groundbreaking in Cambridge Thursday. CNR MA on Wednesday was awarded a $566.6 million contract to build 284 new Red Line and Orange Line cars in Springfield. CNR dates back to 1958 when it manufactured the “Giant Dragon” locomotive, according to its website. Critical of China’s human rights record, Maginn predicted the decision would follow Gov. Deval Patrick “like a dark cloud” if he runs for office in the future. Patrick, who will end his eight years as governor in January, has not ruled out a potential presidential run. Emphasizing the Massachusetts jobs that would be created by the company establishing itself in Springfield, and distinguished it from the Chinese government, Davey said, “We hired a Chinese company. We didn’t hire the government of China, and they’re the largest rail manufacturer in the world. They’ve not only built trains for China, but they’ve built trains for places like Australia and New Zealand, and they’ve done an exceptional job.” China has reportedly aggressively asserted its ownership claims in the South China Sea, and gained the attention and concern of United States officials. “Yesterday was a bit of, to me, a much ado about nothing as to the way it relates to the company,” Davey said. “The question of China’s a different question, but it’s not my job to get into geo-political concerns.” – A. Metzger/SHNS

WARREN, MARKEY, THREE US REPS BACK QUESTION 2

Bottle bill expansion supporters are being outspent and out-advertised by their opponents, who prefer curbside recycling, and on Thursday rolled out endorsements Thursday of Question 2 from Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, as well as U.S. Reps. Michael Capuano of Somerville, Niki Tsongas of Lowell and Katherine Clark of Melrose. The expansion of the nickel deposit under the redemption law to water, juice and sports drinks has for years faltered on Beacon Hill, where critics warned against increased consumer costs. In a statement, Markey said he’s “been a champion of the bottle bill for years because it has succeeded increasing recycling and cleaning up litter in our parks, playgrounds, and streets.” The proposed expansion of the 32-year-old law cleared the Senate on two occasions recently but while proponents have touted support for it among many elected officials, they were never able to get a vote on their proposal in the Democrat-controlled Massachusetts House. Bottling industry stakeholders and other opponents of the expanded bottle law say curbside recycling is a more efficient way to boost recycling rates rather than counting on individuals to return bottles and cans to stores and redemption centers. – M. Norton/SHNS