In advance of Public Health Madison & Dane County’s Emergency Order #8, which includes a mandate to wear face coverings in certain situations, we wanted to provide some information regarding how we plan to comply with the order and aid in our community’s understanding of it.
Throughout the course of the pandemic and the accompanying series of public health orders, our number one goal has been voluntary compliance. This goal will remain for Emergency Order #8 which goes into effect Monday, July 13.
We will continue to partner with Public Health Madison & Dane County to address community concerns and complaints regarding non-compliance with the emergency public health orders. When appropriate we will educate community members on the emergency order.
Public Health Madison & Dane County remains the lead organization to address non-compliance issues related to the emergency order. We, along with Public Health Madison & Dane County, ask our community to refrain from using 911 or non-emergency dispatch lines to report mask compliance issues. Concerns related to face covering compliance, primarily those involving businesses, can be sent to: compliance@publichealthmdc.com.
We will not:
-Stop or detain individuals solely for violations or perceived violations of the emergency public health order
-Use violations or perceived violations of the emergency public health order as a basis for initiating other investigations
-Ask community members for documentation related to the exceptions to the face coverings covered in the emergency health order
As a point of emphasis, the order specifically states that if an individual is not wearing a face covering it should be assumed they have valid reason to not wear one.
In addition to the rules specified within the emergency public health order, Fitchburg police personnel will be required to wear a face covering when in contact with a member of the public outside, when physical distancing is not possible. Our personnel will continue to practice physical distancing whenever possible, and when feasible, handle calls for service over the phone.
Public safety, including the health of our community, requires a team effort. We thank our community for doing their part to keep Fitchburg healthy.
For more information regarding the emergency order and face coverings, including resources to obtain a covering and a FAQ visit Public Health Madison & Dane County’s Face Coverings Page.