First Responders Update 

Mask or no mask? This question has been asked countless times over the past couple of months. If I’m 100% honest, I’m not sure why this even is a debate. 

Working in EMS puts my group at risk. We’ve resumed running calls for quite a while now. We do not walk into anyone’s home or to the scene of an incident without wearing a mask and gloves. 

Why do we do this? We use our personal protective equipment not only for us but primarily to protect YOU! Wearing a mask is FOR OTHER PEOPLE. When you go into a public place, it’s common courtesy to put one on. You are simply telling those around you that you care about their wellbeing. This isn’t about politics or whether or not you are immunocompromised, and it’s not even about right or wrong. This simply is an easy solution to help stop the spread of a virus NONE of us want. 

I read an article last week about a man in Ohio who was very vocal about not wearing a mask. He was using social media to scream from the rooftops that he would never don a mask, and no one would change that. His comments went viral. He then posted on Facebook on July 1 that he tested positive for COVID-19 and that he’d be quarantined for 14 days and that he just wanted to feel good again. The very next day, he simply wrote, “I’m having difficulty breathing”. He died on July 4. He was only 37 years old. 

We are in the middle of a pandemic. Everyone has had their lives turned upside down. I don’t know one person who hasn’t been affected by this virus in one way or another. Please, just wear a mask. What do you have to lose? We wear seatbelts because it could possibly save our lives. We put our kids in car seats because we want to protect them from EVERYTHING! We have places all over the world where smoking isn’t permitted because we KNOW it’s dangerous to OTHERS. 

We lock our car door when we go somewhere because we want to protect our valuables. We wear sunscreen because we know way too much about the consequences if we don’t. We hydrate when it’s hot outside because we know the dangers of heatstroke. We evacuate our homes when we know a hurricane is imminent, and we could potentially die. We give our animals heartworm and flea medicine because we don’t want them to suffer unnecessarily. We take vitamins and prescription medication to keep us healthy. 

We get yearly physicals to stay ahead of the curve and for early detection of diseases. Women get prenatal care while pregnant to TAKE care of their unborn babies. We exercise to stay strong and healthy and to live longer. We give our young kids cell phones to take to school just in case a crazy person decides to shoot up a school, and they’ll be able to reach us during an emergency. We do everything in our power to do whatever we can to protect our loved ones, friends, and neighbors. 

Why is it questionable whether we should TRY and do whatever we can to end this awful virus for good? If there’s even a 10% chance wearing a mask can help prevent the spread of COVID-19, shouldn’t we at least do our part? 

No matter what happens with this virus, your Skidaway Island First Responders will be there whenever you need us. All we ask is that you make the same efforts we are for your community. I promise you this: It can’t hurt, it can only help.