When we lock down, they STEP UP
Lockdown Warriors are the essential workers who kept the Bay of Plenty going during alert level 4 and 3. They stocked our supermarket shelves, policed the restrictions, cared for our elderly and looked after us when we needed help. When the Bay of Plenty was plunged into lockdown on August 17 a small army of unsung heroes geared up and got to work. Maryana Garcia speaks to some about their experiences.
St John paramedic Cain Shelby has been in the profession for more than 10 years and Covid-19 hasn’t changed the reason he shows up for every shift.
“It’s just about helping the community really. The most important part of the job is we’re there to help people at their lowest.”
Shelby said working through the lockdown had its upsides and downsides.
“The best part of working through lockdown would be the minimal traffic. It’s good to get around, makes our job easier.
“The hardest part is wearing PPE regularly. Putting PPE on and off can be quite laborious sometimes. But it’s there to help us and help others.”
Shelby thanked his family for their support during the lockdown and said he would occasionally see his children from the ambulance yelling out to him.
“But they think every ambulance is Daddy’s ambulance.”
Shelby said the best thing the public could do to help essential workers was to follow the advice of the Ministry of Health.
“Everyone on a whole was very understanding of what was going on. They need to just keep doing that.”
Firefighter: Steve Johns
Firefighter Steve Johns has been on the frontlines of emergency response for a little more than 15 years.
He was inspired by his father who was a firefighter for 24 years before an on-the-job injury forced his retirement.
“I’ve always wanted to do it, be able to go out into the community and help people, whether it’s a cat up a tree or something more serious.”
While Johns said there was a little more time for training and wearing PPE gear to all medical calls during lockdown, the job itself hasn’t changed.
“We still have to do the same thing. To every job, we bring our experience as a crew. It doesn’t matter if they’re a new firefighter or they’ve been at it for years, they’re bringing life experience. It’s never down to one person.”
Johns’ children live out of town and he was not able to see them in person during both lockdowns.
“We wanted to keep those bubbles separate.”
Johns wanted to thank his partner for being supportive of his work and the public too.
“Because you stayed home, we didn’t go out and become exposed to Covid-19. You’ve made it easier for all essential workers.”
Johns hoped the support would continue.
“Now’s the time for everyone to check their smoke alarms, to make sure not to overload their multiplugs with their work stations at home and keep everything a little way from the heater. Check your barbecue for LPG leaks.”
Aged-care workers: Jacqui Elvin and Joanne Smythe
When the staff of Copper Crest retirement village heard there was going to be another lockdown, the first thing they did was think of keeping their residents safe.
“Everyone showed a complete and utter commitment to doing the right thing,” Copper Crest’s wellness leader Joanne Smythe said.
“Lockdown doesn’t change the baseline of anything we do but it’s taught us to be creative, to hunker down together to [metaphorically] link arms in camaraderie.”
Clinical manager Jacqui Elvin said not being able to have visitors made the biggest impact on their residents.
“We had to become their family, which we kind of are anyway but even more so.”
Copper Crest staff organised virtual visits with loved ones through Facetime Fridays and made sure to keep the atmosphere light. There were impromptu dance routines and lunchtime singalongs.
“Humour was very important,” Smythe said.
Elvin said she would always remember one elderly couple who were in separate bubbles within the village due to the husband’s health needs.
“We got them together daily for their usual chat and lunch but with a glass door in between. I just remember the look on their faces. She was in tears. Every day she told us how grateful she was.”
Elvin said it was a privilege for them to keep doing the work.
“This is our life, our job and our passion.
“We don’t see this as special. This is what we want to do.”
Court security officers: Jessica Barnett and Carla Te Iwimate
For 19-year-old Jessica Barnett working in security is all about the people.
Barnett said being part of a team was one of the drivers behind her career choice and she felt court security played an important role in the court system.
“We’re usually the first faces you see when you walk into the courthouse. The toughest part about working during lockdown would be having no interaction with the public.”
Carla Te Iwimate, who has worked at the Ministry of Justice for 10 years, agreed.
“One of the hardest things about lockdown was telling support people that they couldn’t enter the premises.”
Barnett and Te Iwimate agree teamwork became more important than ever during lockdown.
“There were only six of us working during level 4,” Te Iwimate said.
“We definitely got to know each other better.”
Barnett said she had come to view her PPE gear as an everyday part of her work equipment.
Police: Road Policing Sergeant Anna Plowman
New Zealand Police road policing Sergeant Anna Plowman comes from a family of teachers and police officers.
“It’s just in our DNA to be helping people. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”
Plowman said the toughest part of working during the lockdown was stress.
“Pressure gets put on people on all different levels: home, kids, work, finances and that’s even before you even consider the Delta variant. In those first couple of days we didn’t know how far it had spread and all those things take a toll.”
But Plowman said it was nice to see how people came together.
“We live in a world where we’re just so busy we don’t get opportunity to have time with our kids. That’s forced on you in lockdown, in a good way.
“As police we’ve had a lot of engagement with other organisations that have solidified our relationships . . . which will be good for everyone moving forward.”
Plowman said the pandemic had also increased the visibility of the police.
“We do care about people. We want them to be safe. I think people know that. When I’ve been out at checkpoints people have let us know they’re happy to see us out there.”
Plowman and her husband, also a police officer, were very grateful for the support of family.
“My sister has been crucial in helping us out with looking after my daughter.
“I’m also grateful to everyone who did adhere to lockdown rules. The biggest thing the public can do is continue adhering to the new restrictions in level 2. There’s still the potential for this outbreak to spread.”
Nurse: de Villiers
Caroline
Caroline de Villiers has wanted to be a nurse since a school camp accident landed her in hospital at age 9.
“I just loved those nurses.” Now de Villiers has been a nurse for 22 years and not even a pandemic has changed how much she loves her job.
“The best part for me is the feeling when I go to work and over the last few weeks there’s been a real heightened sense of teamwork that’s been great.”
De Villiers’ role has changed over the lockdown but she said everyone “just mucks in and gets it done”.
“I do a lot of education around the safe use of PPE and patient flow.
“Everyday stuff has had to make room for the Covid-19 stuff.”
For de Villiers the most difficult part of lockdown has been restricting visitors.
“It takes a toll on everyone. People just don’t get the time to spend with their unwell family members.”
De Villiers said staff had gone above and beyond to support patients and their wha¯nau.
“It’s just about having someone there when you can’t have family there.
“I feel like our patients and our visitors are lovely; everyone has shown a huge amount of patience,” she said.
While de Villiers has been worried about not being able to visit her own parents she wanted to thank everyone for their response to the lockdown.
“We just need to keep looking after each other and checking on those around us who are vulnerable.”
Supermarket manager: Lisa Martin
Countdown Fairy Springs manager Lisa Martin has been in the business for 25 years.
“I’d just finished school and my grandmother gave me a kick up the bum and told me to get a job. Now I’m here.”
Martin said Covid-19 hadn’t changed the reason she went to work every day.
“I love my job. I love seeing my team do what they do and seeing them grow.”
When news of the level 4 lockdown first hit, Martin said her team’s response was extraordinary.
“They came back to store even if they’d already gone home, some team members stayed on even if their shift was finished. They started controlling the entrance. We had the checkouts all open. It was amazing.”
Martin said one of her managers stepped up to deliver groceries to a rest home with 82 residents.
“There was no asking, no nothing. He just stepped up.”
However, Martin’s own experience of lockdown wasn’t easy.
“I’m a mum of a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old. Juggling a family is hard enough in normal times without having to deal with more anxiety and stress, or people who have been unkind.
“On top of that, we’re proud retailers and seeing gaps on the shelves and stock just going out the door like it’s Christmas with no plan can be quite disheartening.”
Martin said it was “mentally exhausting” and she encouraged people to stay patient.
“There’s a lot of pressure on all arms of the business.”
Martin and her team have appreciated the emails and thanks they’ve received from customers.
“We’ve had emails come through. That makes you feel good, that makes the team feel good.”