Dougherty boosts protection for employees, patients with germ-killing equipment

ALBANY — Emergency Medical Services personnel and those who ride in their ambulances will be protected by decontamination equipment approved by the Dougherty County Commission.

Commissioners unanimously approved the $39,400 expenditure from Pathogend of Georgia during a Monday morning meeting.

The two machines are capable of killing the coronavirus, influenza and other viruses and bacteria, including anthrax, EMS Director Sam Allen said during a telephone interview on Monday afternoon.

EMS employees have been transporting a large number of COVID-19 patients, on top of the regular workload, and many of those sickened by the coronavirus are critically ill when they call for help.

In the last few weeks, the paramedics and emergency medical technicians have gone from answering calls in their uniforms to wearing full-body Tyvek suits on COVID-19 calls. The volume of calls are up and increasing, Allen said.

“We’ve seen the average number of calls go from 60 to 85 or 90 a day,” he said. “We’re running 80, 85 calls and some days we’re spiking up to 100. We’re still going to shootings, heroin overdoses, auto accidents. Those have not gone down. We’re still running a lot of heroin overdoses (and) spice — the synthetic marijuana.”

COVID-19 cases also are increasing, with people usually sick at home for several days before they call 911 in a crisis, Allen said. The EMS employees have to go into that environment and work with patients in the back of the ambulance on the way to the hospital.

Personnel disinfect ambulances after each call. “We’ve got some really sick people we’re getting and transporting to the hospital,” Allen said. “They’re really sick when they call us.”

One of the two portable contamination units, which use a mist or fog to kill pathogens in the bed of the ambulances, is in use and a second will be shipped.

“It was definitely something that was right on time,” Allen said. “We’re getting them every piece of equipment we can to make them (employees) and citizens safe by having a clean ambulance.”

Some personnel are working overtime to help deal with the volume of calls in tough conditions, and supervisors also are monitoring their well-being, Allen said. The suits worn by the employees prevent liquids from penetrating, and escaping, making them extremely hot to wear. Ambulances have been stocked with water to help the crews deal with the heat.

“These are some really tough times,” Allen said. “I’ve been here for 27 years, and this is the highest level we’ve been working under. Earlier today we had everyone available tied up on 911 calls. (Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital) was able to get them unloaded and allow us to go out on other calls.”

So far, one ambulance team member has tested positive for coronavirus and is isolating at home.

The EMS decided weeks ago to take the threat seriously and was able to get ahead of the curve on the N95 masks, gloves and eye protection that employees wear in the cab of ambulances on their way to calls. Since then, the department has received new equipment from the Georgia Department of Public Health.

“We had already stocked up a month and a half ago, when we started seeing this really doesn’t look good,” Allen said. “If we hadn’t stocked up, we probably would have been in trouble. If it’s a COVID patient or someone exhibiting symptoms, we go to the highest (protection) level.”

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