Gov. Rick Scott said Thursday the state government is prepared if an Ebola patient presents them self in Florida, but the state has been short on details and reluctant to talk about the disease.
Scott outlined what the state has done so far in Tuesday's gubernatorial debate, but his answer was thin on details.
Recommended Videos
Two week ago, a multi-agency press office, know as the Joint Information Center, was established to send, and it sends out daily news releases and copies of newspaper editorials praising Scot's Ebola efforts to the public, but requests for interviews were turned down.
After getting no answers, we headed to the state's Emergency Operations Center. With two minutes notice, we went into the building housing the Joint Information Center. After a 10 minute wait, Brian Koon, the state's emergency manager appeared.
Asked if someone walked into a Florida hospital with Ebola symptoms, what would happen?
"Well, I'll let the Department of Health work through all of the specifics on that piece of it, but there are very clear screening guidance from the CDC and the state of Florida to insure that we understand what the actual potential this person has," Koon said. "Ebola, as you know, is very difficult to get."
Koon was courteous, answered questions and deferred when he didn't have an answer. Those answers lie at the Department of Health, but still haven't been able to talk to state health official about preparedness.
Earlier this week, emergency mangers from most of Florida's counties participated in a day-long Ebola-response training.
The National Guard has turned down our request to video and report on the training of two, 16-member Ebola response teams.