First responders take precautions amid coronavirus concerns

Lehigh Acres Fire Control and Rescue District is taking additional steps to protect first responders during the Coronavirus pandemic.

THOSE CHECKS STARTS THISWEEKIT’LL TAKE TWO-TO-THREEWEEKS FOR YOU TO RECEIVE THEM.FIRST-RESPONDERS ARE ON THEFRONT LINES OF ANY CRISISINCLUDING RIGHT NOW DURING THISCORONAVIRUS PANDEMICAS PEOPLE ARE BEING ASKED TOMAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCE, FIRSTRESPONDERS ARE CONTINUING TOSERVE OUR COMMUNITY.

FOX 4’SSANDRA RODRIGUEZ SPOKE WITHLEHIGH ACRES FIRE CONTROL ANDRESCUE DISTRICT ON WHAT STEPTHEY’RE TAKING TO STAYPROTECTED.*NATS* Ambulance siren*FACE MASKS BODY GOWNS ANDPROTECTIVE GLOVESLEHIGH ACRES FIRE CONTROL ANDRESCUE DISTRICT IS TAKINGADDITIONAL STEPS TO PROTECTTHEIR FIRST RESPONDERSAND IT STARTS WHEN SOMEONE MAKESA CALL FOR SERVICE19:37SOT(Katie Heck, Lehigh Acres FireControl and Rescue District):"Initially our dispatchers aregoing to be asking them a fewmore clearance questions to kindof gauge what they’re issue isand if it could possibly besomething related to thecoronavirus.IF A CALLER MEETS THE CRITERIAOF WHAT MIGHT BE A CORONAVIRCASE, THE CALLER WILL BE ASKEDTO SPEAK WITH A PARAMEDIC INSIDETHE DISPATCH STATIONDISPATCHERS WILL ALSO ALERTFIRST-RESPONDERS39:52SOT(Katie Heck, Lehigh Acres FireControl and Rescue Distric:"That gives our guys here on thetruck a little bit more of aheads up to what they might beresponding to and what kind ofprecautions they need to take."STAND UP(Sandra Rodriguez,Sandra.Rodriguez@fox4now.com):"When responding to medicalcalls, they are also limitinghow many responders come indirect contact with the patient.This includes only sending afire engine when it’snecessary."1:39:53SOT(Katie Heck, Lehigh Acres FireControl and Rescue District)"With those two people that areon the rescue, we try to havonly one person need to use thPPE equipment that right now isin scares supplies."MASKS, GOWNS, AND GLOVES HAVE TOBE DISPOSED OF AFTER EVERY USESO THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE ONLYTO USE WHAT THEY REALLY NEED4:54:51SOT(Katie Heck, Lehigh Acres FireControl and Rescue District):When they are responding tothese calls for service wherthere is the concern that itmight be a coronavirussituation, they will respondwith a body gown on, they’llhave the mask on, they’ll alsobe wearing gloves."AMBULANCES GO THROUGH A CLEANINGPROCEDURE AFTER EVERY RESCUE...BUT EXTRA CARE IS BEING TAKENRIGHT NOW...3:36:14SOT(Katie Heck, Lehigh Acres FireControl and Rescue District):"This is a virus we’re not usedto dealing with and we want tobe extra careful about thatcleanliness that’s going insidethe rescue."LEHIGH ACRES FIRE CONTROL ANDRESCUE HAS 5-AMBULANCES IN THEIRDISTRICTHECKS SAYS NONE SO FAR HAVETRANSPORTED SOMEONE WITH ACONFIRMED CASE OF COVID-19CORONAVIRUS4:29:58SOT(Katie Heck, Lehigh Acres FireControl and Rescue District):We’re still here, we’re stillresponding to calls, we’re justmaking sure that our staff stayssafe so that we can cont