Quote:
Originally Posted by f10a
Off topic but I met some pilots recently for some rich dude who said they have to fly their pax even if they have covid! I asked if they were equipped for medevac and they laughed. I see so many things wrong with this but since you are an emt and an ambulance has to have a sealed off driver's section I was wondering what could possibly go wrong... (Id tell them no way would I fly a c+ pax).
We have a crappy veneered MDF door complete with sliding plexiglass window (real fancy) between the box and the cab up front. We try to keep it closed with a possible or confirmed C19 patient in the back, but it makes communication difficult. If I have the door closed, the sliding window is usually open so the driver and I can converse.
The ambulance isn’t the only concern, though. You’re usually spending 10-15 minutes in the patient’s home doing your initial workup and packaging for transport. You figure that patient has likely been pumping nastiness into that place for a while before you arrived...it’s probably just as much of a hazard as being in the bus with them, despite being larger.
Anyway, we’ve all accepted the fact that we will likely all get it at some point. We have SCBAs, but the decision was made to not use them due to communication issues and fear of scaring the patient/family.
We are tight on N95s. I have some personal KN95s that I’ve been using, with a surgical mask over the top as a prefilter—helps keep the 95 cleaner longer. NYSDOH recently put out a strong recommendation for eye protection. Gloves, obviously.
We put a surgical mask or non-rebreather mask on the patient as soon as possible, run the HVAC in non-recirc mode, and keep the windows open to the max extent. We decontaminate the bus and equipment as much as possible between calls.
Would I feel comfortable flying a airplane with known C19 positive pax for non-medical purposes? No. First of all, they shouldn’t be going anywhere—they should be quarantining. Second, I’m okay risking my skin for someone in peril, but not for some ******* who doesn’t think the rules apply to him. It’s an incredibly selfish act, IMO.