Masks are mandatory across the province, but when you potentially have to face COVID-19 head on during an emergency call, it can be extra stressful.
Moncton Fire Chief Conrad Landry says firefighters must be wearing a mask, or their breathing apparatus.
If a patient is showing symptoms, they will wear even more personal protective equipment, “If one firefighter gets exposed, then that could potentially shut one fire station. That could be huge for our response.”
Landry says going to a scene, can be stressful regardless, if they are responding to a medical call or a fire. But adding that extra element of COVID-19, adds even more pressure, “Every time the alarm goes off, they have to wonder what is on the other end. That is not unusual of our daily business, but because we don’t have a treatment or vaccine, it does increase the stress.”
He adds, there are specific rules in place, depending on what level of the recovery plan the community is in. The Moncton region is currently in orange, which is stricter than yellow.
“We don’t go to as many medical calls. We triage those calls a little bit more, so that we only going to life threatening calls,” Landry says.
So far, there have been no positive cases amongst Moncton’s firefighters, but Landry says a few have been exposed, or showing symptoms.
That has meant self-monitoring or self-isolation, along with extra cleaning and sanitizing at the affected fire station.
Landry says temperatures are taken every five hours for firefighters on duty, and there must be social distancing at all times. In the fire truck or in a public area, masks must be word.
Currently, there are no public visits or tours to the fire stations in Moncton.
