
CROSBY – Crews of first responders are thrust into the front lines of the war on COVID-19. Locally, Harris County ESD #5, Crosby’s ambulance service (ESD#5), are medical troopers working with local fire departments and law enforcement for the safety of our community.
Asking Medical Chief and Director of Operations Christy Graves, CCEMT-P, how are treatments and procedures changing nowadays, will get this response: “So, we are having to maintain our normal emergency response work and also respond to sick and possible COVID-19 positive patients. We have had to stay alert as well as change our protocols often, sometimes daily, in order to provide the best care for all citizens during this pandemic. This includes the PPE we wear to protect everybody because of how close we interview the patients. Obviously, we have to touch people to provide emergency care. We have developed very stringent guidelines to do this including limiting the number of care providers inside the ambulance with patients. We are no longer allowing extra riders including family members to increase safety. The driver of the ambulance is also completely sealed off from the rear area of the ambulance. This creates a closed ventilation system to help in decontamination of the ambulances.”