Full Interview With Chief and Director of Oxford EMS Ben Addley

Monday, 13 April 2020 12:53

Chief and Director of Oxford EMS Ben Addley explains the PPE protocol for Oxford Paramedics right now, the screening process for patients and the struggle paramedics are dealing with, working on the front lines.

OXFORD COUNTY - Oxford County Paramedics continue to work the front lines, responding to calls every day.

Chief and Director of Oxford EMS Ben Addley says they do not wear full PPE's to every call.

"It actually varies, depending on the call itself and certainly in today's environment what the risk exposure is. Our paramedics always wear some form of PPE, whether that is gloves and gowns, face masks and eye protection, but it certainly varies on the type of call."

Addley says they get their directive from the Ministry of Health and this is fluid and the directives could change over the course of pandemic.

"We get our guidance from the Ministry of Health, Public Health Ontario as well as directives from the Chief Medical Officer of Health for Ontario on how to utilize and conserve PPE's. What we do, is we actually screen our patients, both at the time when they call 9-1-1, as well as at first point of contact with the paramedics, to make sure we are wearing the appropriate level of PPE for that type of patient. Currently we are seeing about 12-15 percent of our calls are being screened with respiratory type symptoms, not necessarily COVID itself but still respiratory infection disease type symptoms. We would then screen them to wear the full amount of PPE's."

Addley is pleading with residents to answer the screening questions honestly to help protect our front line workers.

At minimum right now, paramedics are wearing gloves, surgical masks and eye protection, similar to what a dentist would wear. The PPE's are escalated if the patient has any type of COVID-19 symptoms.

You can listen to the full interview Addley below. He touches on the shortage of supplies, how the policy could change during the course of the pandemic and the struggle Paramedics are dealing with right now at the forefront of the pandemic.