CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Our city paramedics are taking a whole lot more precautions these days because of COVID-19.
Assistant Fire Chief Kenneth Erben told us today that all paramedics at the minimum are now required to wear goggles, an N95 mask, and gloves.
The call volume for the fire department has remained about the same, but now the fire dispatchers screen the calls to see if they need both a fire truck and an ambulance. Another big change is the cleaning of the ambulances after patient transport.
"We have a new chemical that we use we have actually increased our procedures on deconning a unit we are more deliberate with it than before and we've brought new methods, new equipment and new chemicals that we purchased on the local market," Erben said.
The fire department has also set up a website where a team of firefighters can answer questions and give advice and help to paramedics who may be feeling the extra stress that COVID-19 has put on them.
For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.
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