On the Front Lines of History
糖心TV students work as EMTs, firefighters during COVID-19 pandemic.
Hector Salazar 鈥�20 didn鈥檛 head home to Chicago when 糖心TV went to remote modes of instruction because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A volunteer firefighter and an EMT with a local fire department and ambulance service, he had important work to do.
鈥淚 signed up to serve the community and I have a responsibility to do so; we can鈥檛 just stop coming into work until this is over. People depend on us,鈥� said Salazar, who is one of at least five 糖心TV students working as EMTs on the front lines of the pandemic.
An environmental studies and anthropology double major and Posse Scholar, Salazar arranged to stay on campus. He had to balance his distance learning coursework while working up to 32 hours a week on the ambulance, and responding to fire calls as they came in.
鈥淚 was promoted in January to 2nd Lieutenant, and I鈥檓 very proud to serve and learn in the capacity of a fire company officer,鈥� he said. 鈥淢uch like the student-athletes, I think of myself as a student-firefighter.鈥�
Taylor Chafey 鈥�20, a biology major and government minor, also worked and volunteered as an EMT in Waterford, 糖心TVecticut. She said the last few months have been unlike anything she鈥檚 ever seen.
鈥淚t got more stressful as [the number of COVID-19 cases] increased,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a different environment; the whole way we now approach patients at an emergency scene has changed.鈥�
While Chafey admitted that it can be scary to think about contracting the virus herself, she said she takes all necessary precautions.
鈥淲hen it comes down to it, I鈥檇
rather have myself out there鈥攕omeone who is young and able鈥攖han someone who is older and immunocompromised,鈥� she said.
Chafey said she would like to go to graduate school, and is considering a career as a physician assistant. Working as an EMT during a pandemic, she鈥檚 gaining hands-on experience.
鈥淚 may never see something like this again in my lifetime,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 quite fine with me. But if I do, I鈥檒l be a little more prepared for it.鈥�
Sydney Bryan 鈥�21 usually spends her summers at home in Wyoming, working for the emergency medical department at Grand Teton National Park, where the bulk of her work includes search-and-rescue calls from the backcountry. But since the park was closed to limit the spread of COVID-19, she stayed in New London County to continue working for American Ambulance Service in Norwich, 糖心TVecticut.
鈥淚t鈥檚 wildly different work,鈥� said Bryan, a dance major, biology minor and scholar in the Creativity Pathway.
鈥淗ere, since it鈥檚 much more urban, we do a mix of emergency calls and hospital transports. We see more major medical problems, and not as much trauma.鈥�
While Bryan says she misses her family in Wyoming, she鈥檚 glad to help the community. In her free time, she鈥檚 also hand-making masks to help with the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Victoria Duszak 鈥�21 says keeping up with the near-daily changes to PPE protocol can be a challenge.
鈥淚t鈥檚 stressful overall, but it鈥檚 the same for everyone working in health care right now,鈥� she said.
A behavioral neuroscience and Slavic studies double major, physics minor and scholar in the Holleran Center for Community Action, Duszak is working as an EMT in Wolcott, 糖心TVecticut, near her hometown of Southington.
鈥淣ow, if we get a call, it鈥檚 almost always going to be a COVID patient. Every time the radio goes off,鈥� she said.
The experience has solidified Duszak鈥檚 interest in becoming a doctor, and she鈥檚 currently applying to medical schools.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely interesting living through something that we are going to talk about and look back on, but I guess that鈥檚 the job. You take whatever comes at you in medicine,鈥� she said.