EMS workers on front lines of COVID-19
EMS agencies across the county are using extra caution when responding to calls that could involve exposure to COVID-19.
Washington County Emergency Management Director Jeff Yates said officials are monitoring the number of calls dispatch receives that involve flu-like symptoms or the typical symptoms reported with cases of coronavirus.
“We’re not really seeing any kind of spike,” he said Wednesday. “There’s ups and downs, but by and large, it’s pretty consistent.”
Tom McMurray, Peters Township EMS director, said while his crews are always cautious responding to calls, there’s a “heightened awareness,” with COVID-19.
“You always have to think of the safety of the crews,” he said. “They can’t do much for the patient if they’re in trouble themselves.”
Dispatchers taking sickness calls are asking specific questions about symptoms and whether the patient has traveled, McMurray said. That way the EMTs and paramedics responding have a better idea of what they’re getting into.
“Our crews are asking a lot more questions too, especially if their symptoms are respiratory,” McMurray said. “You don’t want to be complacent about it. You have to be proactive in what you’re going to do because you never know what you’re going to get on a call.”
Should an employee develop symptoms, McMurray said, they would follow the protocols with self-quarantine and the COVID-19 testing.
“The concern I think for any first responder, is that when you get one exposure, that’s going to flow all the way through the department,” McMurray said. “And what do you do if all of your first responders are in quarantine? Many of them run with multiple departments, and we’re short staffed as it is.”
If that were to happen, and an entire department was sick or under quarantine, McMurray said mutual aid departments would have to step up to answer calls.
“We rely on each other,” he said.
That’s what other departments said, too.
Jeff Kelly, manager of Canonsburg Ambulance and prehospital care services at Allegheny Health Network, said workers are keeping some additional supplies on their EMS vehicles, like masks, gloves and sanitizer.
“First and foremost, we need to protect our employees,” Kelly said.
Canonsburg Ambulance employees, he said, has been following guidelines from Center for Disease Control and Prevention in conjunction with the state’s Department of Health website, when it comes to response protocols.
Ambulance and Chair Service said it will follow the CDC and county guidelines in responding to calls. A spokesperson said while ambulances and equipment will be cleaned after every call, some extra cleaning is already underway.
“We’re following whatever the county and the CDC are saying to do,” the spokesperson said. “We handle infectious disease every day, so if we follow our protocols, we should be in good shape.”
Kelly said Canonsburg Ambulance employees are donning gloves, masks, a gown and eye protection as well as placing a mask on the patient, if they suspect a COVID-19 exposure. He also said officials are trying not to have every first responder enter the house, and instead have a “single point of clinical contact,” as an attempt at maintaining social distancing.
“If the patient is able to meet them at the door, that would be the best case scenario,” Kelly said.
Crews are also asking if patients have been in contact with any confirmed cases of coronavirus or anyone who’s been quarantined.
He said if there’s “early recognition,” they are trying to notify the destination hospital as soon as possible, since those hospitals will have preparations to make for that patient.
“The biggest thing for us in EMS, is minimizing exposure, providing early notification at the hospital, and making sure we’re diligent in the cleaning and disinfecting of our apparatus and equipment,” Kelly said. “Those are the best ways we can curtail the spread of this.”