Life as a first responder

Essential workers, including those working for public safety services, remain on the job, in community.

With all of Shelby County under “Safer at Home” orders to try to limit the spread of COVID-19, nonessential businesses have closed their doors for the foreseeable future. However, essential workers, including those working for public safety services, remain on the job and out in the community.

Because social distancing practices are not always possible for paramedics, police officers and firefighters responding to calls for service, local emergency services personnel are taking extra precautions to keep themselves, and the public, safe.

Germantown Fire Chief John Selberg said some protocols that were already in place have helped first responders as COVID-19 cases in the area continue to multiply.

“These types of calls are not that far out of what we normally do, as far as handling infectious disease patients,” he said.

One of the main changes has been on the dispatching end. When a call for an ambulance comes in now, the dispatcher will ask whether the person needing the ambulance has been traveling or if they have a fever or have been coughing. The dispatcher can then alert those responding to the call that the person they’ll be attending to is a possible coronavirus patient, Selberg said.

And if the person is not in critical condition, first responders will remain at least 6 feet away initially, and ask additional questions to make sure the person is not likely to have the virus.

“If they don’t have any of those signs, then we continue treatment like a normal patient,” he said. “If they do have symptoms, we try to limit contact just to the ambulance crew, and to only one person if possible.”

While paramedics always wear gloves when interacting with patients, they have also been given N95 masks, eye shields and protective gowns that can be used if necessary. Those same precautions are being taken by law enforcement and fire departments around the area.

Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner said officers had been given hand sanitizer to use between calls and were asked to sanitize all their equipment at the end of every shift. He also said the department was no longer doing roll calls at the beginning of every shift, to avoid having multiple officers crowd into one room. Instead, commanders were sending updates via email or over the phone.

“They are answering calls, but we’re asking our guys to be smart,” he said.

All city of Memphis employees, including MPD and MFD personnel, are now required to self-isolate for two weeks after returning from any out-oftown travel out of an abundance of caution, and multiple departments have taken steps to limit physical interaction between employees and the public when possible.

Bartlett Police Department has suspended its fingerprinting services, and Memphis and Collierville police are asking people to report non-emergent crimes over the phone, rather than in person at precincts, though all have stressed they remain fully operational.

“The Collierville Police Department wants to reassure our community that we are prepared and working diligently to provide continual services as we combat the COVID-19 virus,” the department said in a Facebook post.

While operations continue as normal now, Selberg said all the departments in the area were looking ahead.

“One of the big things all of us are doing right now is making sure we’re prepared for the long haul,” he said.

RAYMOND CHIOZZA/FOR THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL Germantown Fire Chief John Selberg said some protocols that were already in place have helped first responders.

ARIEL COBBERT/THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL City of Memphis employees, including MPD personnel, must self-isolate for two weeks after traveling.