Escambia County COVID-19 Update #73

Updated at 11:15 a.m. April 28:
Please reference the prior updates and Escambia County COVID-19 Update #11 for a prior comprehensive running list. View an updated list of county closures and cancellations here.  This update only includes new information we have received. Weekend updates will be distributed only when there is new information.      

Escambia County 

• Escambia County continues to allow food trucks to park in the Equestrian Center parking lot, located at 7750 Mobile Highway, for residents to purchase take-away food 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The parking lot is a large grassy area and provides ample room for residents to adhere to all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention social distancing protocols. Trucks will be spaced out in the lot and patrons are asked to keep 6 feet of distance between individuals and to limit gathering to groups smaller than 10.To participate as a food truck vendor, call 850-941-6042 for a vendor application. All Equestrian Center vendor fees will be waived.

Food truck schedule for the week of April 27- May 1 (hi-res version of the image is attached at the bottom of this release) 

• As of  3 p.m. Monday, April 27, Escambia County area hospitals reported 220 total ventilators with 171 available, and 1,315 total beds with 554 available. 

Florida Department of Health in Escambia County 

• On Monday, April 27, 2020, the Florida National Guardsmen (FLNG) deployed to Escambia County to support Florida’s response to COVID-19. These Ambulance Strike Teams assisted in specimen collection efforts in long-term care facilities in Escambia County. Media questions relating to the FLNG and this response should be directed to [email protected] or 850-815-4940.
• As of 11 a.m., April 28, Escambia County has had 485 positive COVID-19 cases. This number is expected to change daily due to the return of results from ongoing testing. The best source for up-to-date information regarding confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Florida is the Florida Department of Health website and the associated Data and Surveillance Dashboard and Daily Report. The site is currently updated once daily, at around 3 p.m. ET
• The total number of COVID-19 related deaths in Escambia County residents is 11 individuals.
• The Florida Department of Health (the Department) announced that the list of long-term care facilities in Florida associated with COVID-19 cases will now include active cases in each facility in order to provide real-time data. The list of long-term care facilities with active COVID-19 cases is available here.
• The Department is providing a report detailing surveillance data for every Florida county. Previously, this information was only available for select communities. The surveillance data report is available here. 
• To view demographics of cases in Escambia County, visit the COVID-19 dashboard and select Escambia County. The following case data will appear: age, gender, race, and ethnicity.
• Use the COVID 19 testing self-checker to determine if you need to call your healthcare provider to be tested.
• Need extra support dealing with stress and coping during this time? Find a list of available resources at Escambiahealth.com.

• The IRS is offering tax help for taxpayers, businesses, tax-exempt organizations and others – including health plans – affected by coronavirus (COVID-19). For information about IRS tax relief and economic impact payment information click here.

• The Greater Pensacola Chamber of Commerce is partnering with BRACE (Be Ready Alliance Coordinating for Emergencies) and Hillcrest Baptist Church to extend the continuous site for medical supply donations to May 4th. Donations can be made from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m., Monday-Friday at both Hillcrest Baptist Church Campuses, 800 E. Nine Mile Road, Pensacola or 3960 Spanish Trail Road, Pensacola. Items being accepted:

• Respirator Masks N95 1860/1860s
• Standard Face / Surgical Masks (Loop or Tie-on)
• Flexible Mini-Tip Flocked Swab-Nasopharyngeal
• Full Length Face Shields
• Isolation Gowns
• Nitrile Medical Examination Gloves

In addition to the medical supply drop-off locations, the Chamber has partnered with Brownsville Church and Marcus Pointe Baptist Church to offer a drop off site for baby donations for moms in need. This is based off of a community needs assessed by our faith network. Donations requested include diapers, wipes, and formula (only). Drop off location is at Marcus Pointe Baptist Church, 6205 N. W Street, Pensacola from April 27 – May 4. Donations can be made from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday.

For more information, please contact the Chamber’s Director of External Affairs, Sara Lefevers at 850-356-8735 or [email protected].

• Gulf Power announced today, Tuesday, April 28 that the Florida Public Service Commission unanimously approved its request to issue a one-time decrease of approximately 40% for the typical residential customer bill beginning May 1. Business customers will also see a significant one-time decrease of approximately 40-55% in May, depending on usage and rate class.
• In Florida, fuel savings are typically refunded to customers over the remainder of the year to provide level, predictable bills. However, given the emergent and significant financial challenges facing many customers due to COVID-19, Gulf Power instead sought approval to give customers the total annual savings in their May bill, which will be reflected as a line-item fuel credit on their May statement.
• Many customers are working from home and, in general, staying at home more. More time and extra people in the home will likely increase power usage, which could lead to higher monthly bills. Gulf Power recently added new tools to our customers’ online account portal to help them better understand and manage their energy usage, including their monthly projected bill amount and a breakdown of daily energy usage, which is available for most residential customers*. Customers can now see their previous day’s energy usage using their online account portal to help them more easily understand how their previous day’s activities impacted energy usage, allowing them to quickly make adjustments to keep bills low. The new projected bill feature is a valuable tool to assist customers in budgeting for their next month’s energy bill. Additional energy-saving tips that can be implemented with no additional cost or equipment are also available. As always, Gulf Power’s free online Energy Checkup tool will provide customers with a customized report based on their home’s actual energy use.
• Gulf Power has a long history of working with its customers during difficult times and will continue to do so. Gulf Power encourages customers that are having difficulty paying their energy bill to visit GulfPower.com/help to view available resources that can provide assistance to qualifying customers. Customers are encouraged to pay their electric bill balance each month to avoid building up a large balance, which they will continue to bear responsibility for. Gulf Power will work with the customer’s personal situation and assist with a solution to help customers fulfill their personal responsibility for their Gulf Power balance.
• Those who can afford or want to help others who may need assistance with their energy bill can make a donation to Project SHARE in your online customer portal. Project SHARE donations are added to a customer’s monthly bill and all contributions are distributed to local offices of The Salvation Army. Customers in need of utility bill assistance can apply for Project SHARE assistance at The Salvation Army office in their county.
• The Gulf Power Foundation gave $500,000 to United Way organizations across Northwest Florida to assist those most vulnerable during this time, which has helped support food, housing and other essential needs throughout the region. In addition, the Foundation recently made a $10,000 donation to Feeding the Gulf Coast and launched an employee donation campaign to provide food for our neighbors in need. In total, Gulf Power and its fellow NextEra Energy companies and employees have so far committed more than $4 million in COVID-19 emergency assistance funds that will be distributed directly to those in need and to partner organizations working on the frontlines of the crisis to provide critical support to the most vulnerable members of the community.