Talking about risks and concerns with paramedic Bill McAree

Bill McAree has been working as a member of the Associate Ambulance crew in Whitecourt for over 30 years. As the Paramedic Supervisor for the area, McAree said the COVID-19 pandemic changed certain aspects of their day-to-day operations, but not all. “If we had been called three months ago to a proposed H1N1 or influenza-A patient, we would be donning the same stuff as we do today, but now we know there are more cases out there. We must be a little bit more conscious on every call, and we have to be a bit more careful amongst ourselves,” he explained.

He said that they have measures in place to make sure that everyone is well before starting a shift. “When we go to work in the morning, we have to take our temperatures and make sure our hands are clean. Trust me; we wash them all the time. Our base, which is a secure area, gets scrubbed down every day. Every countertop, door handle inside and outside and same with the ambulances, gets cleaned. Everything is sterilized and cleaned multiple times and then, of course, after every patient, as it always has been.”

McAree said the staff have been opting to leave their uniforms at work and washing them there instead of bringing them home. “It’s so we can contain everything as much as possible.” He said that most people within the medical field are likely afraid of hurting others. “We don’t want to bring anything home to our families. I am single, but that is a real concern for most of my crews that have young families. We want to work safely, and we are. We are crossing the T’s and dotting I’s to make sure everybody goes home safe.”

He said that attending calls these days has more risk involved but that their dispatch makes sure to equip paramedics with the right information. “We ask questions before we arrive, and sometimes it even happens through the door. We ask if they have this kind of symptom or that kind of symptom and try to rule it out. If there is any kind of risk, then we pass a mask through the door or put a mask on the patient right away. If they do have illnesses, we will go back to our truck, put on the gowns and N95 masks, and then proceed.”

Receiving the right information from dispatch before attending a call could mean all the difference because putting on the gowns could unnecessarily delay treatment. “We don’t want to put on all that stuff if someone has fallen and broken their ankle, especially if they didn’t have a runny nose, fever and shortness of breath before they fell. During disasters, emergencies still happen. So, we must look at all of that.” He said that as the warmer weather moves in, his concern is that people will be out far more than they should.

“It is not realistic to think that we don’t have the infection in town. The young people, they think, well I am young and healthy and very few people that are dying are young and healthy, and yes, you might not die, but you might kill your grandparents or your neighbour next door. If you are a gambling person, then the odds are in your favour of surviving, but some people are not so lucky. People have to maintain this distancing.”

McAree mentioned that he is not a big believer in wearing gloves. “I am a believer in masks, but I think wearing gloves sometimes gives people a false sense of security.” He also said that he does not believe this will be over any time soon. “This is easy for me to say because I have a job, but I would rather stay like this an extra month than to leave it early and find out that we are killing people. I understand the desperation of not working, especially when you have a family, and the money from the government is something, but it is not enough. Can we afford to give enough? I do not know. Some people have expensive lifestyles, and they need to work to maintain that, and I feel so sorry for them, but what do we do? Will they push themselves to the limit, and end up getting themselves or their families sick? That is what I’m afraid of.”

As far as not having the infection locally, McAree said that though the official case count remains at zero, as of April 25, it gives a false sense of security to see the number stay the same. “That’s leading us down into a minefield because people get extra relaxed. Do people believe there is a bubble around Whitecourt and that it is not here? That is even scarier because people do not have the fear that it’s out and about here. A little fear keeps you alive.”

He was quick to point out that he does not want to be the bearer of doom and gloom. “Whitecourt is doing amazing, but it’s so easy to get a little mundane about the whole thing. We cannot let that happen. We must keep our guard up over this and stay the course until we get a handle on this.” Residents can take comfort in knowing that local paramedics are working hard to keep everyone safe and that they are ready to help the moment the phone rings.