GREENFIELD — City leaders from Greenfield filmed a public service announcement last Friday to communicate information about coronavirus to residents.
Mayor Lance Walker read the PSA in English, while Mayor Pro Tem Yanely Martinez delivered it in Spanish. They urged citizens to remain levelheaded and to take reasonable precautions rather than panicking.
“It is important for you to know these precautions are intended to protect you, your family, and minimize the spread of infectious disease,” Walker said in the beginning of the PSA, while addressing the many closures and cancellations. “At this time, there is no known immediate threat to you and your family.”
Walker and Martinez both reminded citizens to wash their hands, cover their mouths when they cough, avoid crowds and stay home, especially while sick.
“Use this time to stay at home and connect with your family,” Walker said.
“I know it’s in panic mode everywhere, but we want to reassure them that everything’s OK,” Martinez said about the need for a PSA. “We need to take the steps of taking care of each other.”
Toward the end of the speech, Walker said, “It is important that we all do our part and work together by following the advice of the experts so that we can move past the situation and get back to our normal lives.”
Martinez noted it was important to get the information out as elected officials, since a community could use helpful words from their leaders. She also said there was a side effect of considering the need for such a communication.
“Being up there, it really hit hard halfway through my speech, realizing that in this year, 2020, we have such a virus happening that it’s threatening everybody’s lives,” Martinez said. “It’s real, but we’re sending the message as elected officials to take care of ourselves, and it starts at home.”
“It’s our obligation to keep our residents in the loop of what’s going on,” Walker said. “A lot of people are panicking, and maybe we have a reason to panic, but right now, we need to calm the waters a little bit.”
City staff were on hand during the filming at City Hall, including City Manager Paul Wood and Fire Chief Jim Langborg.
Walker and Martinez, along with city staff, went over the scripts and edited them before filming. They said additional information would be provided on the city’s website and social media pages.
“I also want to reassure you that in the coming days and weeks, the City of Greenfield will continue to provide all essential services to include police and fire protection,” said Walker within the address.
Greenfield is among the first municipalities in the county to film such a PSA, Walker noted. He said such a communication was important because education and information are needed at the moment.
