ER24 paramedic shares his frontline experience

Being a paramedic during the time of a pandemic is a calling that needs to be commended in every way possible.

When the Covid-19 pandemic began over a year ago now, frontline healthcare workers were faced with the daunting task of caring for hundreds of sick people fighting this unknown virus, and the tasks of keeping themselves and their families safe from infection.

Waldo Zweep is an ER24 paramedic on their critical care retrieval service vehicles. To get a better understanding of what it is like to be a frontline healthcare worker during the pandemic, the Randburg Sun put forward a few questions to Zweep to hear his story first hand.

Q: Why did you choose to become a paramedic?

A: Becoming a paramedic kind of just happened to me. When I left school, I had a full-time job planned in a local bicycle repair store in Benon. One of our family friends at the time was involved with ER24’s community response vehicle in the East of Johannesburg and offered me a ride-along for a day or two. The first day I was hooked, I loved it and I have not looked back since. It made sense for me, it just clicked.

Q: Why is being a paramedic important at this time?

A: I do not feel now is any different to any other time. The role we play as pre-hospital providers can be crucial in many patients’ outcomes. The Covid-era we are in does not change that in my opinion. We have a unique role in the healthcare system, being able to see patients in their homes, at the times of the incidents or out in the roads or malls, and we can drastically change outcomes for many patients based on our decision making and management.

Q: How difficult has it been as a paramedic during the pandemic?

A: I work within a specialised unit at ER24, the Critical Care Retrieval Service. We focus mainly on inter-hospital transfers of patients requiring further care or specific interventions. I have had a different exposure to my colleagues’ work in the primary operations area, they have been overwhelmed at times, having difficulty finding facilities for patients and long waiting times to hand patients over. I have dealt with patients already in intensive care settings or require intensive care at a different hospital, and this has been tough. I would say this pandemic is emotionally taxing and leaves many healthcare workers in difficult positions.

Q: How has your family been coping with you on the frontline?

A: My family is frustrated, and they really want the pandemic to be controlled to a much larger extent to allow for their businesses to provide income again. They (my family) are always feeling very claustrophobic and stuck at home as I am sure so many people have felt this year. From the perspective of living with a frontline worker, not much has changed to normal, the inherent risk of what we do is well known, and we do focus on checking on ourselves and trying to be as careful as possible to not bring anything home.

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https://northcliffmelvilletimes.co.za/338519/curro-aurora-youngsters-show-appreciation-for-healthcare-efforts/