The fifth wave of the epidemic is severe, with 8,798 new confirmed cases in Hong Kong yesterday (24th), and many patients have not been admitted to the hospital for a long time.
At present, the Fire Services Department has activated two "Director's Command Rooms", among which the Command Room at the Fire and Ambulance College has been expanded to a team of 60 to assist mildly ill patients to enter the isolation facility, and relieve at least 700 cases in the community every day. The headquarters command room acted as a "backup", shunting critically ill patients, and arranging "dinner clocks" on the front lines.
Some ambulancemen hope that the public can use the ambulance service carefully. There have been many cases who insisted on being sent to the hospital even though they knew the hospital was “full”, but when they arrived, they found that the environment was worse than expected and went home. They believed that patients with mild symptoms should stay at home for observation. Resources are reserved for those in need.
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Daily summons nearly doubled
In the early stage of the epidemic, the Fire Services Department received about 1,700 calls every day. In the fifth wave, more than 2,300 calls were received the day before yesterday, half of which were related to the epidemic. At the peak, more than 300 calls could not be dispatched immediately. The longest case was long. It took 8 hours to arrive at the scene, and the 12-minute Zhaoda commitment once fell to 23.32%.
More than 500 firefighters and ambulance workers infected with the virus
Assistant Commissioner of Fire Services (Headquarters) Wong Chun-yip described the current severe challenges. More than 500 members have been infected with the virus, of which more than 150 are ambulancemen. In addition, some members have to undergo quarantine. The average number of ambulances dispatched during the day has been reduced from 260 to individual 200 vehicles a day, "Because of a colleague who was diagnosed with the disease, there is a shortage of manpower. The ambulances and personnel who have experienced the epidemic need to be disinfected, and they turn around every 3 hours on average. This change makes it more difficult for us."
Assistant Commissioner of Fire Services (Headquarters) Wong Chun-yip (middle) described that fire and ambulance are facing severe challenges, with more than 500 staff members infected so far.
(Photo by Su Weiran)
Arrange more than 700 patients to enter the isolation center in a single day
For the fifth wave of the epidemic, the Fire Services Department has activated two "Director's Command Rooms", one of which is located at the Tseung Kwan O Fire and Ambulance College. After receiving the mild cases referred by the CHP every day, the team will contact the patients to understand the symptoms and make reservations. Isolate the hotel room, and then arrange the anti-epidemic minibus to pick up. If the patient refuses to be isolated, it will be returned to the Department of Health for follow-up.
Command room moved to college
Lu Yicai, the head of the "Director's Command Room", said that in response to the surge in demand for transfers, the command room was relocated from the Tsim Sha Tsui Fire Services Department headquarters to the Academy on the 22nd of this month. , operates from 7:00 am to 1:00 am every day. The team received 5,000 cases the day before yesterday and arranged for more than 700 cases to be quarantined, a sharp increase from about 200 cases in the past. Generally, they can be sent to quarantine within one to two days.
As for the "Director's Command Room" at the headquarters, it is responsible for allocating emergency ambulance services, liaising with the Hospital Authority to divert critically ill patients to the A&E departments in various districts, monitoring the use of ambulances, and freeing up time for frontline ambulancemen to eat.
The "Director's Command Room" is mainly responsible for coordinating major events, such as the typhoon hitting Hong Kong, last year's Legislative Council election, the Lamma shipwreck, and the mini-storage fire.
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The ambulance officer Yi Tongpao entered the Yikui Building like a battlefield
In order to supplement the front-line manpower, the Fire Services Department has recruited 18 retired ambulance, deployment college instructors, and ambulance officers. Huang Baoheng, a trainee ambulance officer formerly stationed at the Tung Chung Ambulance Depot, was transferred to Tsuen Wan District last month to coordinate the handling of the outbreak in Kwai Chung Village. "That night in Yikui Building, I watched ambulances lined up, my colleagues were wearing protective equipment, and watching them go in and do it was like entering a battlefield. The psychological pressure was very high."
The "Director's Command Room" has been activated at the Tseung Kwan O Fire and Ambulance College, with 60 staff assisting patients with mild symptoms to enter the isolation facility.
(Photo by Su Weiran)
After the child's parents arrived at the hospital, they understood that the situation was bad and agreed to go home
Huang Baoheng hopes that the public will reserve the ambulance service for those who are more in need. He once picked up sick children, and his family insisted on going to the hospital, but when he arrived, he found that the environment was bad. Bacteria, the weather is severe and cold, so I decided to go back to the house. In fact, I have to wait for a while and lack of care, and the condition may worsen.” He believes that it is better for patients with mild symptoms to stay at home for observation.
In addition, the Fire Services Department has instructed about 10,000 frontline staff to carry out rapid tests before going to work every day. Disinfection stations have also been set up at 5 venues under the LCSD to arrange for ambulance trainees to disinfect ambulances so that frontline staff can take time to rest and enjoy Snacks and hot drinks.
The ambulance manpower shortage is nearly 16 hours a day. The director level goes to the frontline union: I have never seen it before. Hope the citizens understand that the ambulance tastes like food. The house was shocked to see 15 people infected with the virus. Unfortunately, resources were limited and only two children could be admitted to the hospital. Patient industry: do what it takes to have a risk
