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The Byron Buzz
ISSUE 26, Thursday, JUNE 25, 2020
COVERING BYRON AND PEACH COUNTY
email us at: BYRONBUZZ@PSTEL.NET
Byron Fire Department receives donation
Country Financial made a donation to the Byron Fire Depart- donation was in the amount of $750.00 and BFD is very ap-
ment. The Byron Fire Department will purchase an ALTAIR preciative. Chief Josh Riley accepted the check on behalf of
4x gas monitor with this donation, which costs $790. The the department.
Byron pre-teen in pageant this week
When io-year-old So
phia Cervantes of Byron
was crowned Miss Junior
Pre-Teen by the Miss Teen
Pageant in February 2018,
she was naturally excited to
move on to the next round.
Sophia’s mother, Kimberly,
said anytime they reached
out to find out about the na
tional competition from the
pageant owners, their emails
came back undeliverable
and the phone numbers had
been disconnected. They, of
course, became frustrated.
As it turns out though, the
pageant director died in July
2019 from cancer. Contes
tants were never notified by
anyone.
This year, 2020, another
pageant director, Dana Fain,
read about Sophia’s story
and reached out to the fam
ily offering Sophia a second
chance at a crown and title.
Sophia is not only shocked,
she is over the moon with
happiness.
Because of the experience
they had, the Cervantes
weren’t sure they wanted to
do it again, but decided to
try. So, this week, Sophia is
competing as Miss Georgia
Peach Pre-Teen in Atlanta
(June 25-28), where she
could become the next Miss
Reigning America Pre-Teen.
A win in the division will
give her the title, scholarship
money and a trip to New
York City along with other
winners.
Pageants can be grueling
and very competitive but
Sophia says she likes being
in the spotlight sometimes
because it gives you a confi
dence boost.
Expenses and entry fees for
this pageant is being paid
by Fain, which is the least
which could be done after
last year.
Sophia Cervantes
Navicent modifies essential visitation policy
As the state of Georgia
continues its limited, phased
reopening process, Navi
cent Health is returning to
pre-COVTD patient volumes
across its health system. After
careful review of its policies
and local novel coronavirus
(COVTD-19) data, Navicent
Health has chosen to modify
certain portions of its es
sential visitation policy. The
essential visitation policy was
put into place on March 12,
2020 to protect patients, vis
itors and caregivers from the
threat of COVTD-19. While the
majority of the policy remains
in effect, modifications have
been made to accommodate
those in specific units and
those coming for surgical pro
cedures. The changes became
effective Thursday, June 11,
2020.
What Has Changed
o Patients in critical care
units, palliative care units
and birth centers may have
two essential visitors for the
duration of their stay.
Only one visitor will be per
mitted at the patient’s bedside
at a time.
Visitation passes are non-
transferable.
o Patients visiting Diag
nostics, Navicent Health for
imaging services may have
one essential visitor.
Visitors will accompany the
patient to imaging services.
Once the patient is taken
for the diagnostics test, the
visitor may move to the
waiting room, which has been
arranged to promote social
distancing.
Navicent Health teammates
will provide visitors with
updates and dismissal infor
mation.
o Adult patients coming for
surgical procedures may have
one essential visitor accom
pany the patient on the day of
the procedure.
Specific guidelines for
The Medical Center,
Navicent Health’s
Surgery Center
Visitors will accompany
the patient to pre-op, where
they must remain with the pa
tient until the patient is taken
to surgery. At that time, the
visitor will be asked to exit the
facility. Due to spacing con
cerns and the need for social
distancing, waiting rooms will
not be utilized at this time.
Once the patient is taken
for surgery, visitors will be
provided updates via text
message.
Specific guidelines
for Ambulatory Surgery
Center, Navicent Health
and Heart Center,
Navicent Health
Visitors will accompany
the patient to pre-op, where
they must remain with the
patient until the patient is tak
en for the procedure. At that
time, the visitor may move to
the waiting room, which has
been arranged to promote
social distancing.
Once the patient is taken for
the procedure, visitors will
be provided updates via text
message.
Specific guidelines
for Medical Center of
Peach County, Navicent
Health’s and Navicent
Health Baldwin’s
Visitors will wait in
the surgery department
waiting area, which has been
arranged to promote social
distancing, for the duration of
the patient’s visit.
Once the patient is taken
for surgery, Navicent Health
teammates will provide visi
tors with updates.
o Pediatric patients coming
for surgical procedures at
Beverly Knight Olson Chil
dren’s Hospital, Navicent
Health may have two parents
or guardians accompany
the patient on the day of the
procedure.
Visitors will accompany the
patient to pre-op, where they
will remain for the duration of
the child’s procedure.
Once the patient is taken
for surgery, visitors will be
provided updates via text
message.
o Each visitor will receive a
visitor badge that they must
wear while in the facility.
o Visitors must wait in the
designated area and will not
be permitted to wander the
facility.
What Remains the Same
o Essential visitation hours
will be held 10:00 a.m. - 7:00
p.m. daily.
o Essential visitors are
asked to stay no longer than
two hours per visit.
o Patients at Beverly Knight
Olson Children’s Hospital,
Navicent Health may have
one parent or guardian stay
overnight.
o Patients in family birth
centers may have one essen
tial visitor stay overnight.
o Navicent Health’s youth
visitation policy - institut
ed annually as a precaution
during flu season - remains
in effect as a safeguard against
COVTD-19. Children must
be age 12 or older in order
to visit The Medical Center
(Macon), Medical Center of
Peach County (Byron), Navi
cent Health Baldwin (Milled-
geville), Beverly Knight Olson
Children’s Hospital (Macon),
and Rehabilitation Hospital
(Macon).
o All visitors will be
screened at for signs of illness
upon arrival, as part of Navi
cent Health’s COVTD Safe
initiative.
o Visitors will be required
to wear a mask at all times,
in accordance with Navicent
Health’s universal masking
policy.
o Individuals with cough,
fever, shortness of breath or
other flu-like symptoms are
asked to reschedule their visit.
Greeters at public entrances
will screen each individual
entering the facility, guiding
those seeking treatment to
the appropriate location while
assisting visitors as needed.
“We understand that fami
lies and friends are eager to
be with hospitalized patients.
We’re eager to return to
normal business operations
as well. We thoughtfully
considered our patients and
their needs when modifying
our visitation policy, and the
health of our patients and
our community remains the
highest concern at this time.,”
said Dr. Ninfa M. Saunders,
President and CEO of Navi
cent Health.
Plant explosion sends
employee to burn center
An explosion at a Pyrotechnics Specialties in Byron sent
one employee to the hospital by helicopter after the work
place accident Wednesday, June 17, 2020.
According to Sheriff Terry Deese, it happened at Pyro
technic Specialties Inc. in Byron around 10:40 a.m.
Fire Chief Jeff Doles says the man was burned on his
hands and face after a small explosion and flash fire in a
pelletizing room.
“It didn’t burn the building. There was like a big ball of
flames and then it goes out,” the fire chief said. OSHA will
be notified in the case and that the unidentified victim will
be treated at the Grady Burn Center in Atlanta, according
to Doles.
“It’s just a dangerous, dangerous job at Pyrotechnics be
cause you’re dealing with explosives. Something as simple
as a grain of sand can set some of this stuff off,” said Doles.
This is not a first injury at Pyrotechnic Specialties and
they have been cited several times in the past:
• 2006, an explosion at the plant damaged several nearby
homes. The company paid $14,000 in fines after an inspec
tion two months later revealed federal inspectors found
seven serious violations, including improperly storing
chemicals.
• 2008, the FBI raided Pyrotechnic and accused the com
pany of selling faulty grenades that injured FBI agents. The
case was thrown out by a federal judge a year later.
• 2009, the federal EPA inspectors found hundreds of
containers of explosives and other hazardous materials
improperly stored.
• 2016, they were fined by OSHA for fire safety violations
after one worker was seriously injured. OSHA said it found
one “willful” violation, five serious violations and one “less
than serious” violation in that investigation.
Produce giveaway
Local Lions Club held a produce box giveaway Saturday in
Centerville. This is in partnership with the US Department
of Agriculture. Over 1900 boxes were distributed.