Category Archives: Health Care

City Offers Warming Center At Buck Run

Buck Run to be used as a community warming center in the event of widespread power outage.

The City of Fort Scott is currently experiencing dangerously cold temperatures that will continue throughout the week. Extreme weather conditions are creating both high demand for electricity and stress on power production.

Beginning on February 15 at 12:15 p.m., Evergy will begin to turn off electricity to blocks of customers for approximately 30 – 60 minutes. Once the period has concluded, power will be restored to the impacted area. The emergency outages will then rotate to another portion of Evergy’s service area. Power will cycle off and on periodically until the reduction is no longer required by the Southwest Power Pool.

If you are impacted by an emergency electricity reduction, you do not need to report your outage. Rather, check Evergy’s outage map and www.evergy.com/outageinfo for more information. All customers should be prepared for the potential for these periodic outages. If you experience an outage that lasts longer than an hour, report your outage at www.evergy.com or call 888-544-4852 or 800-544-4857,for Kansas Central customers.

Regional power management officials are asking all customers to conserve energy as much as possible to avoid potential widespread outages.

In the event of a widespread power outage, the City of Fort Scott has identified Buck Run Community Center as a warming center for the public. This warming center is not staffed to provide services but is a safe place to get warm.

Buck Run Community Center is located at 735 Scott Avenue.

Sign up for local emergency alerts at fscity.org. Please stay safe and stay warm.

Jeremy Frazier

City Manager

Special enrollment period to open for health insurance marketplace 

 

Job loss resulting from the pandemic has left many people without health insurance and for many has resulted in the need to find more affordable alternativesFor those seeking health insurance, a special enrollment period (SEP) will allow people to enroll in Marketplace health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. This SEP will begin Feb. 15, and will run through May 15.

At Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, Certified Application Counselors (CAC’s) are available to assist people in enrolling in health insurance provided through the Affordable Care Act, said Benefits Enrollment Specialist Robert Murnan.  

“We help educate consumers about insurance and the program specifics,” said Murnan. “We can also provide access to the internet to apply and enroll.”  

The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will have the newly updated SEP information on the Marketplace enrollment site HealthCare.gov  by Feb. 15. To get assistance in navigating the enrollment site call the CHC/SEK at 620-231-9873 to schedule an appointment with a CAC to review what information is needed to apply and enroll.

President Joe Biden ordered the HHS to create the special enrollment period due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has resulted in more than 20 million people losing their jobs, as well as their health insurance.

The expansion of the SEP for the Marketplace will provide another opportunity to enroll in health insurance for those who might have missed the Open Enrollment Period which ran from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15. It also provides another opportunity to laterally change insurance companies within the Marketplace if the provider network has since changed.

 

Before President Biden’s announcement, people who lost job-based health insurance or experienced another life event, such as getting married, may have qualified for a 60-day SEP based on their specific situation. If a SEP was granted, they would then be able choose a Marketplace plan outside of the normal sign-up period. This new pandemic related SEP will allow anyone to check the Marketplace and see if they are eligible to enroll.

About Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas  
Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK) is a non-profit Federally Qualified Health Center dedicated to providing affordable, high quality medical, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy services to everyone, regardless of income or insurance status at 18 locations throughout Crawford, Cherokee, Labette, Linn, Montgomery and Allen counties, and Ottawa Co. in Oklahoma. For more information, visit www.chcsek.org.

Kansas Governor’s Council on Fitness and KDHE Announce Four New Council Members

Editors note: Local resident, Jody Hoener, serves on this council.

TOPEKA – The Kansas Governor’s Council on Fitness and Kansas Department of Health and Environment are pleased to announce the appointment of four new board members, Callie Dyer, Travis Rickford, Becky Tuttle and Judy Works for a three-year term starting in 2021.

“We welcome our newest members to the Council and are excited to have them join this dedicated team of leaders who are committed to improving health in Kansas,” said Miranda Steele, Council Chair. “The Council’s mission is to encourage increased physical activity, nutrition and tobacco use prevention, and we carry out this work through advisement and awareness activities in partnership with governments, businesses, schools and others to promote healthy lifestyles.”

Callie Dyer

Callie Dyer is the Executive Director of the Finney County Community Health Coalition, Inc. Dyer was recently elected to the Tobacco Free Kansas Coalition Board of Director’s. She serves as an Advisory Council member for the Social Emotional Learning Council and the Wellness Committee for USD 457. Dyer is active in WorkWell Kansas and works with local employers to get involved and practice WorkWell Kansas wellness plans.

Travis Rickford

Travis Rickford is the Executive Director of LiveWell Northwest Kansas where he creates, manages and leads initiatives to address issues related to health and early childhood development for 15 counties in Northwest Kansas. During the past 14 years, Rickford has worked with urban, rural and frontier counties, communities and neighborhoods to identify and implement initiatives that improve the quality of life. He was an active participant in the healthy communities movement in Kansas and has worked extensively with community stakeholders to build an infrastructure that supported opportunities to be physically active, have access to fresh produce and live in tobacco-free environments.

Becky Tuttle

Becky Tuttle serves as the District II City of Wichita Council Member. She has more than 25 years of professional experience engaging community partners through grassroots local coalition efforts focusing on tobacco, physical activity, healthy eating, oral health, fetal infant mortality and worksite wellness. Most Tuttle’s experience has focused on policy and environmental changes to improve the health of communities. Tuttle has a passion for promoting physical activity and good nutrition for every generation to come.

Judy Works

Judy Works is a Clinical Nurse Specialist at KS HealthWorks, PA in Iola. Throughout her professional career she has always promoted healthy lifestyles with individual patients. Five years ago, she started the Monarch HealthWorks program that strives to implement change to promote a healthy workplace environment and improve workplace wellness. Works received the Governor’s Council on Fitness 2019 Organizational Kansas Health Champion Award for exceptional efforts to model, promote and encourage health and fitness in the workplace.

The 2021 Council members are: Chair, Miranda Steele, MPA, MHSA; Vice Chair, Christi Smith, MBA, of Family Preservation for Kansas City; Amy Penrod of Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services; Brandon Skidmore of Sunflower Foundation; Candice McField of Candice McField Fitness; Erik Sartorius, of League of Kansas Municipalities; Jeff A. Usher, of Kansas Health Foundation; Jennifer Bruning, of Kansas State Alliance of YMCAs; Jody Hoener of Bourbon County; Joyce Ellis, PhD, of Fort Hays State University; Kat Wurzer of GetFIT, Inc; Katie Schoenhoff, of United Methodist Health Ministry Fund; Secretary Lee Norman, MD, of Kansas Department of Health and Environment; Mark Thompson, PhD, of Kansas Department of Education; Mary Tritsch, of AARP Kansas; Matt Messina, of Kansas Department of Transportation; Wyatt Thompson, PLA, ASLA, CPSI, of Manhattan Parks and Recreation.

About the Kansas Governor’s Council on Fitness

The purpose of the Governor’s Council on Fitness is to advise the Governor and others on ways to enhance the health of all Kansans through promotion of physical activity, good dietary choices, prevention of tobacco use and to promote the improvement of the health of Kansans through the following:

  • Encourage the exchange of information about physical activity, healthy diets and tobacco use prevention and cessation.
  • Create private and public sector support for physical activity, good nutrition and tobacco use prevention.
  • Manage a statewide awards program to recognize communities and organizations demonstrating significant support for physical activity, good nutrition and tobacco use prevention.

To learn more about Kansas Governor’s Council on fitness visit www.kansasfitness.org/ and like Kansas Governor’s Council on Fitness on Facebook www.facebook.com/GetActiveKansas/.

Girard Medical Center of Uniontown To Open In March 2021

An exam room in the Girard Medical Center of Uniontown clinic.

Girard Medical Center of Uniontown, the new community health center in western Bourbon County, will open in March.

 

Residents currently must travel either to Fort Scott which is 20 miles away,  Iola-25 miles, Pittsburg-38 miles, or Girard-30 miles for medical care.

 

Spearheaded by Uniontown Ruritan, and the vision of several members of the community, the Uniontown health clinic is a collaboration of Ruritan, USD 235 School District, the Bourbon County Commission, the City of Uniontown, and Girard Medical Center.

 

“We hoped to open March 1, but it may be mid-March,” Ruth Duling, the CEO of Girard Medical Center, said.

 

Ruth Duling, CEO of Girard Medical Center. Photo from CMC website.

 

The school district provided the building for the clinic, which is located south of the Uniontown High School football field on the main street in the small town.

 

 

The sign in front of the Girard Medical Center of Uniontown building, which is located just south of the town’s football field.

 

 

“Uniontown USD 235 is excited to partner with other organizations to bring health care options to our district communities,” USD 235 Superintendent Bret Howard said.  “The 2020-21 school year has been very challenging, especially when it comes to community health.  USD 235 is pleased to partner with Girard Medical Center and the Uniontown Ruritan Club in making this dream a reality.”

 

Bret Howard, Superintendent of USD 235. Submitted. photo.

 

“It is great to see the successful culmination of a dream become reality in the creation of the Uniontown rural health clinic,” Mark Warren, District #37 Governor of Middle America Ruritan, who helped spearhead the project, said. “This clinic has the potential to benefit citizens of all ages and provide a choice in health care for the residents of our community.”

 

Mark Warren, Uniontown Ruritan member, opens the east door of the medical clinic. in February 2020, before the renovation of the building began.

 

 

GMC is planning to start providing services to the community with the clinic open three days a week, Duling said.

 

“The remodel has gone well,  and we just have clean—up and finishing touches,” she said.

 

“We are still working on securing personnel,” Duling said. “We will have two positions to start with and we have applicants for those positions already.”

 

The Girard Medical Center of Uniontown is part of the satellite clinics that GMC has in southeast Kansas:   Girard Medical Center of Cherokee, Girard Medical Center of Arma,  and Girard Medical Center of Frontenac.

 

The business area of the Girard Medical Center of Uniontown.

 

 

 

 

 

UK Variant identified in Kansas

A note from Rebecca Johnson, SEK Multi-County Health Dept. Administrator, on this recent development.

“I recommend we continue to follow the mitigation path we’ve been on and continue to wear masks, even after being vaccinated.”

TOPEKA – A CDC Emerging Variant, which has been found in 33 U.S. states, was identified in Kansas yesterday afternoon.

A Kansas resident in Ellis County was found to have the United Kingdom, or UK, variant known as B.1.1.7.

A case investigation is being conducted to determine how the person became infected with this particular variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as if others may have been exposed.

No further details are being released concerning the patient, including demographics.

The variant was determined through the whole genome sequencing (WGS) conducted through the laboratories at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).

“This finding does not change our public health recommendations. We continue to encourage people to take the appropriate precautions: follow isolation and quarantine recommendations, practice physical distancing, wearing masks, good hygiene, staying home if ill and getting the vaccine if you are able to, once the supply is sufficient,” Dr. Norman, KDHE Secretary, said.

This variant was first reported in the U.S. at the end of December 2020.

Evidence from the UK indicates that this variant spreads much more quickly through the population and, given that fact, may rapidly increase the number of hospitalizations and deaths. More studies are needed to confirm this finding.

CHC/SEK In Negotiations With Price Chopper to Move to 2322 S. Main

Krista Postai. Submitted photo.

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas is in negotiation with the owners of the former Price Chopper building to acquire it, Krista Postai, CHC/SEK President and CEO, said in an email interview.

 

“However the details are not yet finalized,” she said. “Following the closure of the store in 2019, the health center identified the building as a potential site to house a future clinic based on the uncertainty surrounding the future of the existing hospital building at that time,”  she said.

 

“The large size and convenient location would allow us to bring our medical clinic, walk-in care, and pharmacy into one location with enough space to allow additional expansions if needed,” Postai said.

 

The Price Chopper building is located at 2322 S. Main and has been empty since 2019.

 

The Price Chopper building Nov. 2017, prior to opening.

 

The CHC/SEK lease for the clinic space at the former Mercy Hospital building at 401 Woodland Hills expired on December 31, 2020,Postai said.

 

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas.

Postai said CHC/SEK needed to “move forward on determining a long-range plan for a permanent home for our clinic.”

 

“We did secure an additional two-year lease from Mercy Health System in December – who remains the owner on the building —  on our existing clinic space, with the understanding from Mercy that there was no option to renew,” she said.

 

 

“Mercy also donated several acres of land behind the existing hospital to CHC/SEK and we were planning new construction when the opportunity to acquire the Price Chopper Building was once again raised,” Postai said.

 

 

“We had originally pursued the possibility of utilizing that space (the Price Chopper building) in collaboration with Ascension Via Christi when it first became available but were in the midst of transitioning both the clinic and the Emergency Room over from Mercy which was the priority for both organizations,” she said. “We did, however, remain in contact with the owners of the building who were anxious to see this space utilized once again.”

 

 

“With our plans to now move forward on acquiring the former grocery store, we have reconnected with Ascension Via Christi regarding the possibility of future collaboration and are in serious discussions with their senior leadership,” she said.

 

 

“We remain committed – as does Ascension Via Christi – to ensuring the residents of Bourbon County have access to primary and emergency care today and into the future,” Postai said.

 

 

Are You the One in Ten?

Joy Miller, RD, LD
Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent
Adult Development and Aging
Family Resource Management
K-State Research and Extension
Southwind Extension District
210 S. National
Fort Scott, KS 66701
Office: 620-223-3720
Fax: 620-223-0332
[email protected]

 

Dining with Diabetes program to help cut diabetes risks

 

Imagine a gathering with 10 of your friends and family members. Now imagine that at least one of you has a disease that can lead to blindness…or amputation…or a stroke. The prospect is not at all far-fetched.

About one in 10 Kansans has been diagnosed with diabetes, a chronic disease characterized by elevated blood sugar (blood glucose). High levels of blood glucose are a result of inadequate production of insulin or a resistance to the effects of insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas.

Diabetes increases the risk of stroke, heart disease, kidney disease, or retinopathy that can cause blindness and neuropathy leading to lower limb amputation.

The vast majority of adults who are diagnosed with diabetes – 90 to 95 percent – have Type 2 diabetes which occurs when cells in the body become resistant to the effects of insulin. Prediabetes is a condition in which the blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. Unlike Type 1, which occurs when the body cannot produce insulin and cannot be prevented, the onset of Type 2 can be prevented.

Risk factors for prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes include being overweight, age 45 or older, and low levels of physical activity (less than three times per week). Other risk factors include having a family member (parent, brother, or sister) with type 2 diabetes, or having gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy). To a small degree, race, ethnicity, and gender contribute to overall risk, too.

Some risk factors cannot be changed such as age and family history, but others can be modified. This includes managing your weight, being active, eat healthier, and if you smoke, quit. A quick assessment of your risk can be done at the American Diabetes Association website www.diabetes.org/dibetes-risk/tools-know-your-risk, takes less than a minute,.

Adults with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and their family members, caregivers, and support persons may be interested in K-State Research and Extension Dining with Diabetes online course beginning March 1. Individuals will learn strategies to manage diabetes through menu planning, carbohydrate counting, portion control, and label reading. The five week course is self-paced and participants can choose the level of interaction with the instructor and other participants.

Cost is $25, class size limited, and registration required by February 18th at southwind.ksu.edu/events. For more information or questions, contact Joy Miller at 620-223-3720 or e-mail [email protected].

Buck Run Stream Advisory Rescinded

Stream Advisory Rescinded for Buck Run Creek, located East of Scott Avenue and West of 69 Highway in Fort Scott, Kansas

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has rescinded the stream advisory for the Buck Run Creek, along the area East of Scott Avenue and West of 69 Highway in Fort Scott, Kansas. Water samples show no health risk associated with the creek. Water contact in the river is now deemed safe.

Nevada Hospital Receives First COVID 19 Vaccines For Phase 1B

NRMC to Host Phase 1B Vaccine Clinics

Nevada Regional Medical Center (NRMC) has received their first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines for Phase 1B. Only individuals registered through waiting lists will be notified and scheduled for one of two upcoming mass vaccination clinics that will provide more than 500 individuals with their first dose of a two-part Moderna vaccine. Second doses will be given at follow-up clinics four weeks after the initial clinics. It is important to note that COVID-19 vaccination may only be done by appointment and walk-ins are not accepted.

As supplies continue to come in, NRMC will continue to reach out to those who have requested a vaccination. Anyone who believes they fall into one of the tiers in Phase 1B and wishes to be notified when an appointment for vaccination is available may call NRMC’s vaccine call center at (417) 448-2120 or visit the hospital’s website at www.nrmchealth.com to register online.

The vaccine call center is open 24/7 and staffed by live receptionists. In the interest of making scheduling as efficient as possible, NRMC requests that individuals register for the notification list only once as multiple requests are unnecessary and not helpful.

So who exactly is eligible right now? Here’s the breakdown:

Phase 1B – Tier 1: Protecting those who keep us safe and help during emergencies

First Responders

Non-Patient Facing Public Health Infrastructure

Emergency Management and Public Works

Emergency Services Sector

Phase 1B – Tier 2: Protecting those who are at increased risk for severe illness

Anyone aged 65 and older

Any adult with one or more of the following conditions: Cancer, Chronic Kidney Disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Intellectual and/or developmental disabilities such as Down Syndrome, Heart Conditions (such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies), Immunocompromised state from a solid organ transplant, Severe Obesity (BMI greater than 40), Pregnancy, Sickle Cell Disease, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

“Getting a vaccine to everyone that wants one is not going to be a fast process,” said NRMC Chief Executive Officer Steve Branstetter. “However, we are dedicated to not wasting any vaccine that we receive and ensuring the most efficient and safe vaccination process that we can for our community. We are as anxious as everyone else to start a new chapter in this story, where we defeat our antagonist, the virus.”

NRMC reminds readers to frequently check local media and the hospital’s Facebook page for updates on COVID-19 vaccines.

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About Nevada Regional Medical Center
Serving a six-county area since 1937, Nevada Regional Medical Center is a 71-bed acute, intensive and skilled care hospital. Nevada Regional Medical Center has earned recognition as a respected regional medical center for its comprehensive health care services, skilled and caring employees and state-of-the-art medical technology. Staff represent more than a dozen medical specialties, including family practice, women’s services, neurology, urology, psychiatry, orthopedics, wound care services, and general, vascular, thoracic and oncological surgery. Additionally, consultation clinics are held regularly by specialists in oncology, pulmonology, podiatry, ear, nose, and throat and cardiology.

Free Cholesterol Screening In Nevada

NRMC to Offer Free Cholesterol Screening

Nevada Regional Medical Center (NRMC) announces it will host a free cholesterol screening sponsored by NRMC Foundation on Thursday, February 18 from 6 to 9 A.M. Registration is open to the public, but appointments are limited.

According to NRMC cardiologist, Dr. David Zuehlke, the two largest risk factors that can accelerate heart disease include tobacco use and diabetes. Other major risk factors include hypertension (or high blood pressure) and elevated cholesterol, followed by family history. Elevated cholesterol levels can be an indicator of heart disease while maintaining healthy cholesterol levels can lower chances of heart disease and stroke.

For men, typical symptoms of coronary artery disease or a heart attack include chest discomfort and pressure that radiates to the back, arm or neck, nausea, sweating, shortness of breath. However, for women, the symptoms can be confused with other mild illnesses.

“Women will often present with shortness of breath, abdominal pain with some nausea and fatigue,” Dr. Zuehlke said. “That’s what makes it difficult to diagnose women; these symptoms could be so many other things that coronary artery disease in women often gets missed.”

Dr. Zuehlke recommends that someone who experiences symptoms that go away with rest should visit a doctor as soon as possible to be evaluated. However, if someone is experiencing symptoms while at rest, or that are worsening, that person should call 9-1-1 for an ambulance. He does not advise driving oneself to the emergency room, or even being driven by someone else.

Persons with risk factors for heart disease can be proactive by visiting with a cardiologist or primary care provider before they experience symptoms and discover ways to prevent heart problems. The American Heart Association recommends all adults age 20 or older should have their cholesterol (and other risk factors) checked every four to six years and talk with a doctor to determine one’s risk for heart disease.

To register for the free cholesterol screening, visit www.nrmchealth.com or call (417) 448-3801.

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About Nevada Regional Medical Center
Serving a six-county area since 1937, Nevada Regional Medical Center is a 71-bed acute, intensive and skilled care hospital. Nevada Regional Medical Center has earned recognition as a respected regional medical center for its comprehensive health care services, skilled and caring employees and state-of-the-art medical technology. Staff represent more than a dozen medical specialties, including family practice, women’s services, neurology, urology, psychiatry, orthopedics, wound care services, and general, vascular, thoracic and oncological surgery. Additionally, consultation clinics are held regularly by specialists in oncology, pulmonology, podiatry, ear, nose, and throat and cardiology.

Butterflies in the Emergency Room

Dr. Larry Seals holds a new piece of ultrasound equipment at Nevada Regional Medical Center.

 

 

Nevada Regional Medical Center (NRMC) has recently began utilizing new medical technology to provide point-of-care-ultrasound. For more than 50 years ultrasound technology has been based on the same hardware. Traditionally this involves large equipment.

Today, NRMC healthcare providers have the power of ultrasound in the palm of their hands with a compact ultrasound technology, called Butterfly IQ. The Butterfly allows physicians to convert a tablet or cell phone into a monitor for the ultrasound machine. This state-of-the-art technology has numerous advantages.

In the emergency room, the time savings is a significant benefit. Using the Butterfly allows for a Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) exam and aid the quick location of veins for IV access.

If a patient presents with very low blood pressure, the doctor doesn’t have to send the patient off to radiology. Instead he can simply plug in the Butterfly to quickly examine the chest cavity and check the left ventricular function to see if it involves fluid around the heart or lungs.

Providers in many departments of NRMC are happy to utilize the new technology as well. Larry Seals, DO can use the device for prenatal exams. Steve Marquardt, CRNA, NSPM provides interventional pain management at NRMC. Prior to a surgery, Marquardt is often called upon to inject anesthesia into a specific nerve to numb the area of the body where the surgery will take place. With Butterfly, he will be able to pinpoint the precise nerve within seconds.

Use of the new device is expected to improve patient satisfaction by decreasing wait times for some ultrasound procedures. Most importantly, it will be readily available during a trauma, when life-saving minutes count, such as a suspected internal bleed or cardiac issue.

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About Nevada Regional Medical Center
Serving a six-county area since 1937, Nevada Regional Medical Center is a 71-bed acute, intensive and skilled care hospital. Nevada Regional Medical Center has earned recognition as a respected regional medical center for its comprehensive health care services, skilled and caring employees and state-of-the-art medical technology. Staff represent more than a dozen medical specialties, including family practice, women’s services, neurology, urology, psychiatry, orthopedics, wound care services, and general, vascular, thoracic and oncological surgery. Additionally, consultation clinics are held regularly by specialists in oncology, pulmonology, podiatry, ear, nose, and throat and cardiology.

Contaminants Possible in Buck Run Creek:Don’t Enter

Stream Advisory Issued for Buck Run Creek, located East of Scott Avenue and West of 69 Highway in Fort Scott, Kansas
Residents and animals should not enter the Creek at this time

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued a stream advisory for the Buck Run Creek, along the area East of Scott Avenue and West of 69 Highway in Fort Scott, Kansas.

The stream advisory is a result of a manhole overflow due to heavy rainfall. The city of Fort Scott has repaired the problem and the overflow has ceased as of Monday afternoon.

The advisory has been issued because potential elevated bacteria and contaminants may be present in Buck Run Creek as it flows northward through residential areas to the Marmaton River. If you live or have activities near this stream, do not enter the stream or allow children or pets to enter the stream.

Kansas Department of Health & Environment will rescind the advisory once flows recede and subsequent bacteria testing indicates secondary (wading) contact has been deemed safe.

For further information, please contact at the city of Fort Scott, Michael Mix at 620.215.6319.

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