Coronavirus Discussion Thread

In Borough Park Brooklyn, while an FDNY FF from E282 / L148 was checking on hydrants he was harassed by Hasidic Jewish boys. One of them went up to the FF and sneezed in his face. 4 days later the FF felt flu like symptoms and was able to get tested for COVID-19, his test came back positive.
 
In other news, I might have caught it. I had a temperature of 99.1 when I went to work today. I've had vague symptonms, but I have had them for like a week or two. My work told me they weren't going to send me home because I didn't have a fever at the time. I have had generalized weakness, nausea, and short of breath on exertion (no cough until today). Today, I started getting body aches. I kept chalking it up to other things like getting old, working too much (I've been working a bunch of overtime/mandation shifts), weird sleeping schedule (I got back and forth between days and night shifts), and wearing the masks. Wearing the masks get me super short of breath. Anyways, at the end of shift, I got back to the station and had a fever of 100.4. I just tested myself at home and got 100.2. They wouldn't let me back into the station and told me that I am off work paid for the next 2 weeks. I'm not happy about it.
 
Effective today in NYC, the NYC REMAC committee issued advisory 2020-07, TEMPORARY Lowering of Staffing Standards for Disaster Response

FDNY ALS bus will now be staffed with one Paramedic and one EMT-B
FDNY BLS bus will now be staffed with one EMT-B and one CFR

This staffing reduction will remain in effect until the Governor State of Disaster has been terminated.
This order is also recommended for owners/operators of Ambulance and ALS First response services within the 5 Boroughs ...
 
E tank said:
Love what @DragonClaw called...the 'Rona Dome.....
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You've come at the right time.

Bring in EMS or healthcare automatically grants you a full access pass to the Coronathon.

Unfortunately, it does not include Hazard Pay, N95s, safe scenes or TP.

Have a great day.
 
I bought my own half face today with P100 cartridges. While perhaps N95s can be reused, putting them in a paper bag for who knows how long does not sit great with me. We have zero idea if these masks are contaminated (with other things besides COVID19 as well), and carrying around contaminated equipment is just undoing all of our decon. Also on a personal level, I find taking them on and off properly to be a huge pain and have watched everyone I work with and myself self contaminate while doffing. At least the half face can be wiped down after use. We'll see if work throws a fit, they keep saying we have "loads of PPE."
 
I trained donning and doffing reusing the same equipment at a post. I was planning on using it the next call I needed to, which was today. I recorded myself to make sure I didn't accidentally contaminated anything. I made notes on things I would screw up like walking back (flare up the gown hitting me in the face), did it the wrong order taking off the mask before the gown and accidentally touched my gown, etc. I thought I would be good, but I guess not.
 
Aprz said:
I trained donning and doffing reusing the same equipment at a post. I was planning on using it the next call I needed to, which was today. I recorded myself to make sure I didn't accidentally contaminated anything. I made notes on things I would screw up like walking back (flare up the gown hitting me in the face), did it the wrong order taking off the mask before the gown and accidentally touched my gown, etc. I thought I would be good, but I guess not.
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I haven't really used an N95 since the fit test during new employee training. I think I have trouble with them since I've used it like twice. it's slipping on my hair and I can't even get a haircut
 
DragonClaw said:
I haven't really used an N95 since the fit test during new employee training. I think I have trouble with them since I've used it like twice. it's slipping on my hair and I can't even get a haircut
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If I recall, you're a woman, right? I would put my ponytail up high and put the top strap against it. That worked well or so I thought.... I also have tried using bobbypins to keep it in place.
 
Aprz said:
If I recall, you're a woman, right? I would put my ponytail up high and put the top strap against it. That worked well or so I thought.... I also have tried using bobbypins to keep it in place.
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I am.

Unfortunately my hair is short enough a ponytail is difficult (plus I can't actually put one up by myself) but long enough to get in the way. It's also the literal texture of my hair. It's smooth, straight and quick to get oily. The band's slip right off sometimes.
 
PPE is hard to do right every time
That's a major reason hcw get sick
 
DragonClaw said:
I am.

Unfortunately my hair is short enough a ponytail is difficult (plus I can't actually put one up by myself) but long enough to get in the way. It's also the literal texture of my hair. It's smooth, straight and quick to get oily. The band's slip right off sometimes.
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Try a bobby pin or two to hold the strap in place? I feel like bobby pins should work on short hair too?
 
Aprz said:
Try a bobby pin or two to hold the strap in place? I feel like bobby pins should work on short hair too?
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I actually don't own any...

I have the chromosomes, yeah. But I don't know anything about "lady" things like hair or makeup or whatever it is.

But, ha ha. I keep forgetting not to worry. We don't have any N95s left in my size anyway.
 
Aprz said:
Try a bobby pin or two to hold the strap in place? I feel like bobby pins should work on short hair too?
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DragonClaw said:
I actually don't own any...

I have the chromosomes, yeah. But I don't know anything about "lady" things like hair or makeup or whatever it is.

But, ha ha. I keep forgetting not to worry. We don't have any N95s left in my size anyway.
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PAPR for life, I have never trusted any of the standard n95 products to make a real seal.
 
Summit said:
PPE is hard to do right every time
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Shades of haz mat training, sulfur triox, cyanides, PCBs and their friends. Got to be some FFs here who have done this. SCBA practice. Don your full turnout and other PPE gear and put on the SCBA blind in a toxic environment. Repeat until you do it rote perfect. Especially the part of a complete strip down without contaminating yourself.

DrParasite said:
Otherwise, your numbers can be as made up and fake as @RedBlanketRunner
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Yup. Dead on. Fake to the max. Won't hit 1 million infections until April 3! Cover me with rue. :oops:
 
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In the field get bys. Nearly all disposable masks can withstand this: 20 minute bath in boiling water followed up with 24 hours in a 200+ ppm chlorine bath.
Got access to an autoclave? Slow cooker, 217F, 2 hours. Flasher? 5 minutes @228F+. EO, 48 hours. Common autoclaves in hospitals can accommodate a thousand masks per run with ease. Don't forget if path lab has an autoclave. Stinky but sterile.
If the head bands on the masks get trashed, cut them off ahead of time and staple them back on.

DragonClaw said:
I haven't really used an N95 since the fit test during new employee training. I think I have trouble with them since I've used it like twice. it's slipping on my hair and I can't even get a haircut
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Slipping around masks. Old SCBA tricks. Scrub off skin oils with alcohol first. You can glue the mask to your face with tiny dabs of corn starch. Facial fur causing leaks, goo it up with Vaseline.
 
1st positive patient last night from a nursing home. The county north of me has a nursing home with something like 8 deaths and 30+ confirmed infections. Guess it's finally coming around now.
 
StCEMT said:
1st positive patient last night from a nursing home. The county north of me has a nursing home with something like 8 deaths and 30+ confirmed infections.
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When the epidemic task force gets rebuilt it needs to have a priority list with 'sitting duck' victims such as nursing home receiving both in place and quick response preventive/protective measures. Maybe Trump dismantling the task force was a blessing in disguise. Between what it was and what we are learning from the present pandemic could write us a highly comprehensive permanent template, and set the model in stone so some ignoramus can't just blunder up and trash it out.

Wouldn't hurt to add something to the foundation laws to make it a serious offense, without regard for a persons position or station, to gaslight or otherwise publicly disseminate false, misleading or deceptive information that runs counter to the health and well being of humanity ....
nypost.com

FEMA sending 85 refrigerated trucks to New York City for COVID-19 bodies

New York City is so short on morgue space for coronavirus victims that FEMA is hauling in trailers to store all the bodies. “We are sending refrigeration trucks to New York to help with some …
nypost.com nypost.com
 
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Most of you are using your masks incorrectly. Fit is key. Wearing them properly is key.

If you put anything on your face to use as a “glue”, you just adhered any bio hazard onto and into your skin.

Let’s NOT post bad advice.
 
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