The Frontline Worker: ‘If anyone asks for our help, we won’t let them down’
On Fridays, Kieran Henry passes around the many cards sent by grateful patients, thanking ambulance paramedics for helping them in their hour of need and wishing them well in the fight against Covid-19.
“You can get so wrapped up in your work, seeing those messages is a nice way to start the weekend,” says Mr Henry, operations resource manager for the National Ambulance Service’s Southern Region.
“We get fantastic support from the community, lovely messages and gestures and cards.
“Our staff have come at their time of need. Particularly at this time when they maybe felt isolated, our paramedics have been there to support them.
“Everyone’s been told to stay at home, but our people are going out to work right in the middle of the virus. If anyone asks for our help, we won’t let them down.”
Mr Henry says the pandemic has been a frightening time for patients but that, “under the masks”, his staff are all compassionate, supportive paramedics.
"We go out in our yellow vehicles and arrive in, all gowned up and masked up and it can be frightening for people.
Even our own staff have been frightened by this pandemic, but behind the masks they are still our fantastic people, just doing their job with empathy.
He says the Ambulance Service in Cork has been busy. On top of its regular work responding to medical emergencies, it is also providing Covid-19 swab testing at nursing homes.
Nationally, more than 18,000 Covid-19 swab tests were taken in nursing homes across the country since last Saturday, HSE chief Paul Reid said this week, after efforts to halt the spread of the virus in residential care homes was ramped up.
“It’s been a privilege for us to support older persons in our community and nursing homes and those who may be vulnerable in residential and other care settings,” says Mr Henry.
“These are a generation of people who built up Ireland. Now we’re there to help and support them in any way we can.
"It’s an important task and we’re delighted to contribute to it.
“It can be a scary time for them.
"We’re coming in with our personal protective equipment on, we’re gowned up, wearing goggles and masks, so it’s harder to see someone’s facial expressions, but we’re treating them with the highest respect, which they deserve.
“And they are being cared for; the staff there are great and it’s the residents’ home so there’s a homely atmosphere. And it’s brilliant to hear that a lot of them are recovering well.”
Providing a coronavirus swab service is “an extra layer” on top of the paramedics’ regular work, but they are coping admirably.
“Our staff have been immense,” says Mr Henry.
“There’s a collegiate spirit and everyone is very supportive of each other.
We’re used to dealing with emergencies; that’s our function — to deal with medical emergencies 24 hours a day, every day of the year. But we have a pandemic now so it’s on a different scale.
"But our training comes into its own for this.
“We have to be prepared going out — there is this virus in the community — but we will always go. It’s challenging but our staff are stepping up to the plate.”
Ambulances and equipment have to be thoroughly cleaned between each call, which takes time and resources, but Mr Henry says that, capacity-wise, the service has been managing so far.
That, he says, is thanks to the public following the Government’s health advice to prevent the spread of the virus.
“What the public has done has helped preserve our capacity and allows us to provide services,” says Mr Henry.
“Battling this virus is a collaborative effort. The public thank us, but reciprocally we’d like to thank the community for what they’ve done to contain this virus.
“I see colleagues that have succumbed to the virus in the UK and other jurisdictions. We just want to see everyone get through this safe and well — our staff and the community. We are all in this together.
“If the public did not do what they’ve done we’d be in a much worse state. Our eternal appreciation goes to all the people out there.”
- Shop for essential food and household goods;
- Attend medical appointments, collect medicine or other health products;
- Care for children, older people or other vulnerable people - this excludes social family visits;
- Exercise outdoors - within 2kms of your home and only with members of your own household, keeping 2 metres distance between you and other people
- Travel to work if you provide an essential service - be sure to practice social distancing
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