Coronavirus (Covid-19) – Emergency Action Plan

Posted on March 20, 2020 by Bennie Smith Funeral Home under COVID-19
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Bennie Smith Funeral Home understands the severity and the risk involved with the Coronavirus. We must follow all health guidelines, and as they change day to day, we will post changes as they occur. As a public entity we want to inform you that we are taking all necessary precautions to ensure that we reduce your risk to exposure while in attendance at our facility.

We have assembled a Coronavirus Preparedness Team and we are monitoring all communications distributed by the Center for Disease Control and the National Funeral Directors Association as well as our local and state health agencies in regard to all information on the Coronavirus (Covid-19).
To ensure that your risk is minimized while attending an event at our facility, and to comply with Social Distancing guidelines, we have put the following Emergency Action Plan into place:
1. Our staff will make environmental cleaning procedures top priority at our facilities. Every 5 hours all door handles, knobs, faucets, toilets, water fountains, as well as any surface that has come into human contact will be diligently cleaned with an antibacterial agent.
2. A personal space zone, in accordance with CDC guidelines, will be created between visitors and family members of the deceased to minimize the spreading of the virus by personal contact.
3. We are asking that the arrangement conferences be limited to five people or less, and that no children or anyone with a cold or pre-existing condition attend the conferences.
4. As per recommendation of the CDC, and in accordance with Governors Carney(Delaware), Hogan (Maryland) and Northam (Virginia), Declarations, public events need to be kept to a maximum of 10 people. Our arrangers and directing staff will present several options to your family regarding keeping you safe, while still allowing you to pay tribute to your loved one with a service. These are unprecedented times, so we promise to be reasonable and flexible.
5. Posters created by the Center for Disease Control with information on the virus and how to protect yourself from contracting it will be posted throughout our facility.
6. Hand sanitizer and Kleenex will be available.
7. Family and friends procedures, will be put into place to give the general public an opportunity to come, honor, and pay their respects in a less crowded environment.
8. With the permission of the “Next of Kin” of the deceased, using our technology systems, whenever possible, we will project and/or live stream our Celebration of Life events, electronically.
Public health and safety are first and foremost in our minds during this time, yet, honoring and remembering a life is what we are all about. We have devised this emergency action plan for your protection. Please be advised, that if you have any concerns or apprehension about attending our facility, please remain safe, at home.
For further guidance regarding COVID-19, please visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website: https://www.cdc.gov/, the Delaware Health and Social Services website at: https://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/ or the Maryland Department of Health website at: https://health.maryland.gov/pages/index.aspx or the Virginia Department of Health Website at: http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/

From humble beginnings on a farm in Faceville, Georgia, Bennie Smith evolved into a successful and caring businessman setting the standards for funeral homes across this country. Today, Bennie Smith Funeral Home(s) is one the largest African-American-owned Funeral Homes on the East Coast. With 13 locations up and down the Delmarva Peninsula, from Wilmington, Dover, Milford, Seaford, Millsboro, Salisbury, Easton, Princess Anne, Chestertown, the Eastern Shore of Virginia and more. For over 35 years, we've been caring for families like yours.