TIVFD still Responding
Wednesday, March 25, 2020 at 10:18AM
Editor

Your fire department is still responding to emergency medical and fire calls during these extraordinary times. We have suspended training other than on-line studying and have strong cleaning protocols in place.  Only fire fighters and the cleaning staff have entry to our building.  Several of our members are in self quarantine and will not be available for medical calls.  Those of us who can respond will have more personal protective equipment (PPE) on than you may be used to.  We will require you to don a mask, even if you are not ill.

Please don’t hesitate to call 911 if you need assistance.  We know that falls and fractures still occur and that chest pains and strokes require timely response.  You will be asked a few more questions by the dispatcher about illnesses, travel, contacts etc. but this will NOT hold up our response.  We need to know the risk to our First Responders so that we can prepare accordingly. 

For minor injuries such as sprains, or shallow cuts that have stopped bleeding but will require a stitch or two plus an updated tetanus shot, please make arrangements to get to the Chemainus clinic in your own vehicle.  But again I want to stress that we will be responding to serious 911 events.  If you are undecided if your issue is more minor or more serious, please call 811 and talk to the Nurse Line.  They will advise you.

Your support in keeping the transmission risk low for us will keep us operational.  We do not wish to curtail our services.  

We are in this together.

Thank you from all of us at the TIVFD.

Fire Chief Jeannine Caldbeck

 

Article originally appeared on Thetis Blog (https://www.thetisposts.ca/).
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