COVID-19 presents an added wrinkle for first responders dealing with winter storm
Emergency dispatches floated across the airwaves and through the snowflakes Wednesday night as a nor’easter smothered the Lehigh Valley.
A senior citizen reportedly fell and potentially broke his hip. Northampton County dispatchers broadcasted a driver hit a house outside Roseto, fled the scene and crashed into a utility pole minutes later. A teenage driver who tested positive for COVID-19 skidded into a pole and likely needed medical treatment.
Wednesday’s snowstorm presented a challenge local police, paramedics and fire crews hadn’t encountered before in modern history — a winter snow emergency during a pandemic. The Lehigh Valley’s first Major snow events always presmajor winter storm of the season ent first responders with difficuldumped around a foot of snow ties as they contend with slippery on the region. That was on the conditions and poor visibility lower end of some forecasts that along with everyday crises like predicted as much as two feet. heart attacks and homeaccidents. Here are snowfall totals (and COVID-19 presented another where the measurement came wrinkle to a difficult situation. from) from around the region
Bob Mateff, interim CEO as reported by the National of Cetronia Ambulance, said Weather Service: Wednesday the timing of the storm could have been worse. EMSteamshavehadninemonths to adjust to the pandemic before encountering Wednesday’s driving winds and thick snow.
“This is the most normal emergency we’ve had all year,” Mateff said, a reflection as much about 2020 as about the storm.
Since March, emergency medics have learned to adapt to the coronavirus. Virus carriers often don’t present symptoms, forcing paramedics to treat every call as if it were a COVID-19 case. EMTs are equipped with masks and gloves and follow best practices to protect themselves from the virus, Mateff said.
“Everybody understands what that [the virus] means. It doesn’t necessarily change anything because we’re responding with extra PPEonvirtually every call,” he said.
Mateff emphasized that people calling for assistance should communicate if they’ve tested positive for the virus or are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. First responders will still arrive, but it will help them protect themselves and others they encounter.
“We’re always appreciative of a patient that self-identifies. It really makes it really helpful when we or police arrive on scene. Everyone understands what they’re up against,” he said.
Other than that, preparing for the winter weather has been business as usual, Mateff said. The ambulance company held conference calls with municipal partners and discussed anticipated problem spots. Extra crews were called in to handle the anticipated surge in calls.
State police Cpl. Brent Miller
said the pandemic changed some protocols. Depending on the nature of the call, state police will sometimes speak to people over the phone instead of responding in person. But those rules don’t apply to emergencies where boots are needed on the ground such as examining crash scenes, closing roads or directing traffic.
In the case of the winter storm, Miller said, it was more important than ever that people stayed home and stayed safe. First responders have enough on their plate, including a 30- to 60-car pileup Wednesday in Clinton
County that killed two people. People who protect themselves by following travel advisories are also protecting troopers, firefighters and EMTs who would potentially respond to any resulting emergencies.
“There’s really not too many places you can go. It’s more important now to stop the spread,” Miller said. “Please stay home. We really mean it.”