During EMS Week, Boston's EMS Chief Talks About The Coronavirus Fight
BOSTON (CBS) – During National EMS Week, WBZ-TV's Liam Martin spoke with Boston EMS Chief Jim Hooley via Zoom.
According to Hooley, 13 of Boston's EMS have tested positive for COVID-19. He said four are still recovering at home and nine have returned to work.
"Fortunately, none of them required hospitalization," Dooley said.
All EMS staff who arrive at the scene to treat a patient must have a face mask, gloves and a face shield for every call. "If it is a suspected COVID-19 case, you are making sure you upgrade your mask to a respirator, an N95 respirator, and that you are also bringing in gowns, head covers, shoe covers, the whole gamut. Every patient that we encounter, we are screening them and taking their temp," Hooley said.
COVID-19 is wearing on EMS staff morale, Hooley said. "Anything that you have tried to sustain for a long time. We have seen tragedies and awful things – young people killed, transportation accidents, the bombings on Boylston Street, which no one will ever forget. People rise to the occasion, and they do a lot of brave things in the moment to sustain life to get people a second chance."
