There's a breaking story from the Wicomico County Detention Center.
One confirmed case of legionnaires disease at the Wicomico County Detention Center. The employee was hospitalized and is now recovering. Devilnyns(devenyns) is playing that same cover up game. Claims everything is ok in memo he put out. Devilnyns was allowing an outside vender to wash hotel bedding etc. From local hotels without any approved contract by the county. Now at least one employee involved in the washing of the bedding items is sick and possibly another.
Allegedly, proper procedure wasn't followed as to the proper follow up inspection in addressing the legionnaires issue. Not to mention Devilnyns cover up. I wish the employee a speedy recovery. Joe hopefully you might be helpful in keeping any other employees from getting this illness. Devilnyns won't....
"To: All County and Contractual Employees, Inmates and Visitors of the Wicomico County Department of Corrections.
Subject: Medical Information
Last Friday, August 8, 2008, I was informed by the Wicomico County Health Department that an employee of the Department of Corrections had been diagnosed with Legionnaires’ Disease and was receiving treatment. Because of the sensitive and confidential nature of personal medical information this employee’s name cannot be revealed nor should it be the topic of speculation.
I immediately contacted the Wicomico County’s Health Officer to seek guidance in determining what actions, if any, were necessary to ensure the health and welfare of our employees and the inmate population. Part of the response is the attached information sheet that has been provided by the Health Department and is being forwarded to each of you. What is most important to note is that:
Legionnaires’ Disease cannot be transmitted from person to person.
The cooling tower that provides for the facility’s air conditioning is routinely serviced, sanitized and tested to ensure there is no opportunity for the growth of Legionella bacteria, the germ that causes the disease. The most recent test was conducted on July 18, 2008 and the results showed “no observed evidence of Legionella in the sample”. A copy of the test results are also attached. Although these results are less than a month old, I have contacted the testing company to retest the cooling tower and the sample to conduct the test will be collected today, with new results in several days. As soon as the new results are received they will be shared with all of you.
The Health Officer did indicate that the most appropriate course of action at this time is to be alert and aware of any signs or symptoms of Legionnaires’ Disease which are described on the information sheet provided by the Health Department.
Should you have any questions or concerns you are encouraged to contact the Communicable Disease Program at the Wicomico County Health Department at 410 543 — 6943 or your personal medical provider.
Douglas C. Devenyns
Director"
More To Come......
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
34 comments:
It has been proven that a weekly
does of bleach in the water of the cooling tower will keep it healthy.
It a very inexpensive solution.
What's a gallon of bleach ? ,$2.89
Um ... what's legionnaires disease?
Legionnaires' disease (LEE-juh-nares) is caused by a type of bacteria called Legionella. The bacteria got its name in 1976, when many people who went to a Philadelphia convention of the American Legion suffered from an outbreak of this disease, a type of pneumonia (lung infection). Although this type of bacteria was around before1976, more illness from Legionnaires' disease is being detected now. This is because we are now looking for this disease whenever a patient has pneumonia.
Each year, between 8,000 and 18,000 people are hospitalized with Legionnaires' disease in the U.S. However, many infections are not diagnosed or reported, so this number may be higher. More illness is usually found in the summer and early fall, but it can happen any time of year.
What are the symptoms of Legionnaires' disease?
Legionnaires' disease can have symptoms like many other forms of pneumonia, so it can be hard to diagnose at first. Signs of the disease can include: a high fever, chills, and a cough. Some people may also suffer from muscle aches and headaches. Chest X-rays are needed to find the pneumonia caused by the bacteria, and other tests can be done on sputum (phlegm), as well as blood or urine to find evidence of the bacteria in the body.
These symptoms usually begin 2 to 14 days after being exposed to the bacteria.
A milder infection caused by the same type of Legionella bacteria is called Pontiac Fever . The symptoms of Pontiac Fever usually last for 2 to 5 days and may also include fever, headaches, and muscle aches; however, there is no pneumonia. Symptoms go away on their own without treatment and without causing further problems.
Pontiac Fever and Legionnaires' disease may also be called "Legionellosis" (LEE-juh-nuh-low-sis) separately or together.
DP
thanks for the tip doc.
Funny thing is, they waited quite some time to mention to staff that there had been a verified case. An outside company was already cleaning up and testing before 99.9% of the staff was informed about what was going on. But hey, what's a little DEADLY DISEASE among friends, right?
Doc,
You forgot to mention something.
Legionnaires' Disease can't be transmitted by "dirty laundry."
Typically it is transmitted by standing water.
Why no Pollitt presence in this situation? Who's in charge here?
like the standing water thats found in some of the bins that hotel dirty laundry is kept in.duh.
Let's clear something up.to simply check the cooling tower at the jail is NOT enough.the employee that got sick and the other employee that may be sick now were both exposed to laundry and water from the washing machines where the legionaires bacteria can grow over time,as well as shower sprinklers too.so simply checking the cooling tower is not thorough enough.
Hey Joe,
Just curious, but since I've started reading your blog in the last few days, I've noticed The Daily Crab Wrapper seems to oddly resemble many of your postings - some verbatim. Is there no shame here? Most groups call this "plagiarism". Maybe they should go ahead and close the paper, just give you the keys. If so - can you do something about those little dangly things that fall off the paper now? That's what a million dollar press gets you I guess.
like some of the filthy standing water int that pig pen called a jail..
The f in place is filty the jail is not run right.
This county cant do shit right ,because they dont hire the right people .
They hire there friends..
I do admit there is only one person in this county that has truly earned,proven and continues to proof the fact that he belongs in his job and to be truthfull i dont even like him..but i have to admit .
Sheriff Mike Lewis...
And im not saying that because you suck up to him, Im saying it because it is true.
Ten simple ways to fix the Wicomico County Detention Center. 1.Mike Lewis2.Mike Lewis3.Mike Lewis 4.Mike Lewis 5.Mike Lewis6.Mike Lewis7.Mike Lewis8.Mike Lewis9.Mike Lewis and finally number 10.MIKE LEWIS. Joe take a poll from your readers.
Joe,
The REAL simple way of fixing Wicomico County Detention Center is get rid of:
1. All Sgt's
2. All LT's
3. Captain Foreman
4. Captain Colbourne
5. Major Elliott
6. Major Moore
7. Chief Kimball
8. Cheif Shockley
9. Rosalyn Roberts
10. Rosalyn Roberts
Then maybe, just maybe; Director Devenyns can get on with his job. I can assure you, Folks. Mr. Devenyns is not the problem. And, with this group, even Mike Lewis would not be able to Tame the beast in WCDC with this group.
I can assure you that devilnyns is the problem as well as some of the others listed.what are you slow? stop kissing up anon:4:46PM
Joe,I just received a call from a pissed off CO from the WCDC stating that Hardin may have been fired for investigating a female CO that was having sex with an inmate in the drug program at the jail RSAP or RSAT program.The CO is supposed to be pregnant or has had the baby.CO said Sheriff Dept.might have the case now.anyone else hear this?
That would be RSAT. Resident substance abuse treatment program. It is an all male program for non violent inmates. Problem is the director is a female, Wendy Roberts, several female CO's, and the majority of counselors are females. That never made any sense to me. It's to much temtation for the ladies. I'm not surprised at all if one of them got pregnant. RSAT could be a good program but not with Wendy Roberts and Devenyns as the helm. I have also heard from good source that Wendy Roberts and Devenyns are being looked at by the DOJ for other matters involving RSAT.
1146 PM,
I'm not slow. What u don't realize is, there is only one person @ WCDC who wants Director Devenyns job bad enough to allow such rift to continue. That person is the operational officer Deputy Director (DD) Rosalyn Roberts. She has allowed others to do her dirty work. (Check out that list again) These people and their friends have air all of WCDC filty laundry, gossip and poor perception of Director Devenyns and other staff she feels is beneath her. She has allow the reputation of good people to go down the drain. If one would ask some of her staff how they truly feel about her. They would tell you she is truly the "Bullying Beast" @ WCDC and that is putting it very lightly. WCDC is full of female staff. Each department is run by one of her female friends, a female family member or a female associate. The "Bullying Beast" has surrounded herself with prominent people that will protect her by failing to keep Director Devenyns abreast of the problems that are really going on @ WCDC. What he didn't know has truly hurt him. It has created a place of fear and unrest. Just check out the WCDC recidivism rate among male officers. The truth of the matter is, they want Director Devenyns out the same way they took out Warden John Welsh Jr. And, they will not stop with all of this sillyiness until Director Devenyns is gone. She wants his job. "The list" member are during her dirty work. The reward will be promotional advancement for all of her friends. And the saga, "As the Jail Turns or Churns" will continue indefinitely. This mess has been going on for over 30 years.
This comment is in response to 4:46 pm. Douglas Devenyns IS the problem at the detention center. He is out of touch with the staff and the day to day operations at this facility. He should not be running the detention center at all. To 1:52pm, you are VERY misinformed. The "list" people are not doing her dirty work. Simply put, she doesn't want Devenyn's job. Mrs.Roberts and her list people didn't drive out Warden John Welch Jr. He did that to himself. Douglas Devenyns is the head of that institution. He's responsible for knowing what goes on in this facility. To place the blame on Mrs.Roberts and her staff would be detrimental. If Devenyns doesn't know whats going on in his own facility, then that's his fault and he has noone but himself to blame. Mrs. Roberts treats all of her employees fairly and they are welcome to come to her with any concerns they may have. She is not a "Bullying Beast". My advice to you 1:52, find out the facts before you post such nonsense.
4:48PM,
OUOTE to place blame on Mrs. Roberts and her staff would be detrimental UNQUOTE, saids it all and taken as a threat.
If her staff honestly kept Director Devenyns informed of WCDC operation, you and I would not be having this conversation. The problem with WCDC is NOT with Director Devenyns. Ask the shift working officers who had to deal with her DD Roberts tantrum she wailed at them assigned to different post in the detention center the day before they had people of importance come in for video court the following day.
anon:6PM you are right on the money.if anyone believes that dd roberts is innocent of promoting hatred and discontent at WCDC,then they are blind.she is without a doubt one of the most evil ,vindictive individuals that I have ever seen.she only looks out for her people and will quickly destroy an officers career if they challenge her.truly the sign of a misfit supervisor,not to mention her improper relationship with a certain captain.see roberts,see that captain.she is the eyes and ears for dd roberts.never trust her.devilnyns,roberts and kimball all need to go.
I am a white male officer. I can personally atest to the fact that Deputy Director Roberts is a very fair lady with an open door policy. She has listened several times to my rants and raves. she does here job fine..Like her or not she is honest to everyone she talks with in her office and will actually take time to thank staff for doing their jobs. If you have a bad impression of her then go to her office and man up tell her your concerns she will actually listen...Until you talk to her personally which I am sure you have not done then shut the hell up!!!
WCDC SUMMARY IMO- FEMALE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS SLEEPING WITH INMATES AT THE DETENTION CENTER,CO'S FIRED WITHOUT DUE PROCESS,DEVILNYNS INVESTIGATED -THEN INTERNAL INVESTIGATOR FIRED,KIMBALL HIRED NO BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION COMPLETED,EMPLOYEE/S GET LEGIONAIRES DISEASE-COVER UP,SUICIDES OF INMATES,DOJ LOOKING AT RSAT PROGRAM,DD ROBERTS IS A BULLYING BEAST,DEVILNYNS ALLOWS OUTSIDE VENDERS TO HAVE THEIR WORK DONE AT COUNTY DETENTION CENTER,AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.DO YOU SEE A PATTERN HERE? THIS IS TRULY ADMINISTRATION AT IT'S WORST.I AM ASHAME FOR THIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT.HOW MUCH LONGER WILL THIS BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE?
anon:9:17PM apparantly you are one of dd ridiculous roberts coharts.please, everyone knows that what your saying is only true for the chosen few.99% of the other employees at the detention center will only experience her unrovoked wrath and confusion she creates. doesn't matter if your black or white.she is totally incompetent.stop,stop,stop kissing up.
Dear God please let Sheriff Lewis take over the jail.Amen
Is DD Roberts related to RSAT director Wendy Roberts??
What about forced labor? Marty Johnsons cleaning service burned down and he was a former corrections dept. employee. The Director approved our laundry trustees to do his cleaning...Admirable at best...But who is getting paid I think it is going in Doug Devenyns pockets...This even requires an officer to occasionaly work overtime until it is done. How with all the cut backs and overtime already being worked can this be alowed on the tax payers dime...this has the laundry girls working day in and day out and being fired or reclased if they do not work till it is done...What is this slavery? 16 hour days doing someone sperm covered motel sheets from ocean city..I mean what the hell... I work there I do agree with inmate labor, however making those females work under those hot conditions for the hours required with no pay or perks is criminal. Someone needs to tell the DOJ or the ACLU this has to stop NOW!!!
Some of the allegations mentioned with this whole WCDC issue have been substantiated but even you Joe (one who normally follows up and is relentless with your investigative reporting with such facts) don't seem that interested.all you got to do is start digging.you will be amazed at what you uncover about any of these issues.trust me devilnyns doesn't want that.
First of all 5:55am talk about what you know not what you THINK.
Any funds that come into the facility go through Shockey and then depoited into the County's General fund check there before thinking.
Oh yeah like throwing Shockley into the mix is any better..she embesled $25,000.00 form overtime she never worked when Welsh was there and was not fired..fact not fiction...and her husband Kenneth Shockley was given federal time to the tune of 3 years for stealing from his closed back account that allegadly she knew nothing about yeah right he is dumber then a clam she masterminded it all and yet again got off free..Doug Devenyns and her only speak via email because they have never got along..maybe because he did not want to sex her up like Jean Murry..
anon;10;51am How do you know that devilnyns sexed up a jean murry,who is she?and what happened? do tell!
IT matters little what is speculated here. Go to Scientific papers written by the expert on Legionaires disease, Dr. Stout from Pittsburgh, Pa. You will find that since 1982, thats right 1982, the source of the legionella bacteria has eventually turned out to be the drinking water supply. And yes health departments refuse to admit this to avoid fear over something they cannot control.
In response to anonymous 10:17pm, no Deputy Director Roberts and Wendy Roberts are not related. In response to anonymous 8:26am and 10:51am, I totally agree with you. Benita Shockly has alot to do with the money problems at the detention center. They should have gotten rid of her a long time ago. She still needs to go. As far as her husband, Kenneth Shockley, he is not smart enough to pull off something of that nature. Benita was in on that from start to finish. He just took the fall for her, but she was the mastermind of it all. I really wish that the county could get someone honest to handle the money because that is definitely a conflict of interest. She is the LAST one that should be handling anyone's money. Then she has the nerve to have a gospel show on the radio on Sunday mornings. PUHLEEZE!!!
K I M B L E is the Main
DISEASE here at WCDC.....
F I R E HIM soon ...... and things WILL g e t B E T T E R
kEEP HIM ON THE b l o g
He''ll be Gone like a Hog .....
Joe
Wcdc is a filthy corrupt institution there is bed bugs, crabs, spiders, legionnaires disease. The medical staff tells inmates that the bed bug bites and spider bites are due to hard water and that it is just a rash. They are giving inmates antibiotic creams to clear up bites to cover up the problem. They have recently locked down female block to cover up the fact that there is crabs running ramped in that part of the jail. Medical is also denying people prescribed medications. The kitchen is under feeding inmates and not giving them other drinks that are listed to be given to inmates. Such as coffee to force them to buy commissary. Roberts controls the kitchen and the commissary. Therefore lining her pockets with money. There is so much corruption in that jail its not funny. I would not be surprised if funding is being embezzled. The corruption goes all the way to the top of the chain. There is no way the director does not know whats going on. To be a leader you must lead by example. Even if the director isnt involved. If they turn blind eyes to corruption it allows corruption to run a muck. Therefore all are to blame becuase no-one is doing anything to end the corruption. We need to rattle the cages and ask for wcdc to be investigated under a microscope. The inmates may have broken the law but are human beings and do not need to be treated like animals. These peoples rights are being violated. If we truely live in a country that prides itself on equal rights. Then we need to protect these peoples right even if they are inmates. Please take what im saying seriously and help raise awareness to what is really happening in that corrupt joke of jail. They do not follow institution standards and make up the rules as they go. There is a due process to follow and they are not following the standards in place to protect the populations rights. Again here my plee to raise awareness to this serious problem. For the pen is mightier than the sword. Thankyou for your time and God bless you.
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