‘Lower Viral Load’

The ambulance chief said any possibly infected patient will likely be exhibiting what he called a “lower viral load.” Once the disease is in its most active stage, that patient may be beyond the level of assistance that can be rendered by local volunteers.

“We’re not trained, say, for level-four response,” he said, adding that such intensive response usually requires medical technicians or physicians to don protective “space suits” before examining or treating a patient.

Assistant Ambulance Corps Chief Sharon McCarthy said additional precautions, including donning a combination face mask-eye shield, medical gowns and double gloves have been initiated.

“We are essentially initiating heightened basic precautions for everyone that they would normally take responding to an active flu case, or someone with tuberculosis or other communicable condition,” she said.

Ambulance responders recently participated in a brief information meeting with an infectious disease response consultant to the New York Fire and Police Departments.

“His main message was ‘don’t panic.’ By protecting ourselves from body [fluids] and practicing isolation procedures if required will protect all responders and the people they come in contact with,” Chief Collins said.

Sandy Hook Fire & Rescue Chief William Halstead said that his company is preparing for any responses “in proportion to the likelihood” his volunteers might ever face possible Ebola or other infectious exposures. Sandy Hook has created a response kit including protective gear, and has designated the company’s pickup truck as a response and isolation vehicle.

“We’re using our pickup truck because it would be the easiest to decontaminate, and would not affect our ability to respond to calls if it had to be out of service for that purpose,” Chief Halstead said. His company’s protective gear-filled “jump bag” has equipment for four or five responders.

Chief Halstead said all five Newtown fire chiefs held a brief, informal meeting Tuesday evening to review Ebola-related responses.

Health District Advice

Health District Director Donna Culbert said her office was also “as prepared as possible” with the latest information following a regional meeting with other health agencies tied to the Western Connecticut Health Network and its hospitals in Danbury, New Milford, and in lower Fairfield County.

“Our latest meeting included their infection control supervisors, the network’s emergency medical director and a few doctors,” Ms Culbert said.

The local health director said her colleagues were taught to adopt a “Yes, Yes, Mask, Isolate,” protocol.

“So if a caller or patient answers ‘yes’ when asked if they recently traveled, and if they feel sick or have a fever, we automatically wear masks and isolate the patient,” she said.

“Knowing that anybody emergency responders would encounter would be in the early onset stage and not at a high contagion level is important,” Ms Culbert said. “And most medical facilities should by now have isolation areas designated for any such patient.”

Ms Culbert believes the state is just a few days away from designating specific medical centers to receive any confirmed or suspected Ebola case.

Her advice for Newtowners?

“Get a flu shot, and take all possible steps to ensure good health this winter,” Ms Culbert said. “Anyone who is anxious about the possible spread of infectious illness should try to stay as healthy as possible, and to protect themselves, their families, co-workers, and health care workers from illness by staying healthy, getting a flu shot, and most importantly, staying home if they feel sick.”

At the White House Wednesday afternoon, President Barack Obama was meeting with his new Ebola coordinator Ron Klain and top aides. Mr Klain will coordinate the array of federal agencies dealing with Ebola in the United States and helping to tackle the crisis in West Africa.

Late Wednesday, Governor Dannel Malloy announced the launch of a state resource website containing risk information about Ebola virus infection, a map of the West African countries affected by Ebola, and information about actions the state of Connecticut is taking to prevent the spread of the virus should someone in the state become sick with Ebola.

The site provides links to additional resources and information from the CDC and other partners along with resources for health care providers, including new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the use of personal protective equipment by health care personnel.  .   

There will also be a hyperlink to www.ct.gov/ebola on the homepages of all state agencies.

(Associated Press content was used in this report.)