Hearing focuses on needs of frontline workers
Maureen Casey, a registered nurse at the Hershey Medical Center, has treated COVID-19 patients and was recently quarantined for 14 days when she showed signs of the illness.
At a state Senate Democratic Policy Committee online hearing on Tuesday, Casey recalled a routine training session in February, where staff discussed the amount of personal protective equipment, or PPE, that nurses would require to treat one COVID-19 patient during a 12-hour shift: six N95 masks, six face shields and 12 pairs of gloves.
But instead, nurses are reusing N95 masks for multiple shifts, and the other protective gear is in short supply.
Casey said health care workers are “grossly ill-equipped” and at “high risk,” and asked legislators to not repeat the mistakes made during the response to the pandemic.
The online hearing, the first ever held by the committee, focused on the problems and needs of first responders, health care workers and other essential frontline workers.
The hearing was requested by state Sens. Lindsey M. Williams, D-Allegheny, and Pam Iovino, whose district includes Peters Township, and follows a joint legislative hearing last week that focused on the response of Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic across Pennsylvania and the impact of mitigation on business owners.
First responders, health care workers and other frontline workers did not participate in that hearing.
Iovino said the testimony of those on the frontlines, who “are literally putting (their) lives on the line,” is important “to get a better understanding of how we can reopen Pennsylvania’s economy, while first and foremost, keeping all Pennsylvanians safe.”
Studies are revealing that the pandemic’s frontline workers are putting both their physical and mental health at risk. Those workers are significantly more likely to face depression, anxiety and insomnia.
Sen. Lisa Boscola said the toll on health care workers, first responders and service industry personnel is difficult to gauge since states are not consistently tracking who has the virus and the impact on these workers.
Ralph Sicuro, president of Pittsburgh Firefighters IAFF Local No. 1, said, “As first responders we understand our profession comes with risk, and we will continue to perform our duties knowing that risk we take. But this virus has raised the level of risk because when we are exposed, we’re taking that exposure home to our families. This has increased the stress and anxiety levels for first responders and our families.”
Josh Wiegand, chief of West Deer Township, Volunteer Fire Company No. 3, discussed how the declining numbers of firefighters and fundraising has worsened during the pandemic.
“Recruitment of new members has been put on hold, as well as training for existing firefighters,” he said. “Some volunteer firefighters are currently not available for calls for many reasons. Some work in health care, some are high-risk or taking care of a high-risk family members, some are being quarantined for possible COVID symptoms or have children at home that would otherwise be in school.”
He said that in the last three weeks, five firefighters and EMS personnel have tested positive for COVID-19, and this has placed added pressure on those organizations to meet staffing needs.
“Many of our members want to get back to work in order to provide for their families,” said Steve Mazza, council representative, Greater PA Council of Carpenters. “However, at the same time it’s essential we return to work in safe environments. The health and safety of our members and their families is of paramount concern to our council’s leadership.”
Hillary Rothrock, a home health care worker from Harrisburg, added, “We are desperately in need of PPE and sanitation supplies. Because the consumer who wants to live in their own home is the employer, we don’t have N95 masks or access to them. We are low on necessary medical supplies like gloves and wipes.”