Brussels-The Brussels fire brigade continues to ambulanciers also be equipped with surgical masks, of the nature, type FFP2. The government, in a directive to make these masks are only to be used in a high-coronarisico’. The fire department will follow that directive, “For each and every operation is a risk.” But what happens when the masks run out? “We are looking for a solution to this. However, it is a race against the clock.”
How many surgical masks are left? No one can tell you. If we have the resources within the fire department to have an estimate, ask for the answer to this question is usually enough for a couple of days, maybe a week. It all depends on the progression of the disease. And with the arrival of new stock.
The ambulanciers, the fire department will be required to have a FFP2 mask. Thus, a protective mask filters the air you breathe. The device is thus protected against the infection with the corona virus. The masks work really well, but they are in short supply. Therefore, the federal department of Health last week to the economy, and they’re not all ambulance-intervention-to-use. “We have to follow that directive,” says brandweerwoordvoerder Walter Derieuw. “We have chosen not to have the highest levels of protection for our ambulanciers. As a counsellor you never know what you’ll find when you get there. If it turns out that, you will suddenly have to administer cpr, you don’t have the time to go from the mask to the switch. That’s why we take the ” better safe than sorry, with all ziekenwageninterventies.”
77 ill
“A courageous decision by the board of directors.” It is to say, as a trade union leader, Eric Labourdette compliments to give. To do so, he is almost never seen. “The directive is too much. What do we have? Let us contaminate it? Then we will also have our work to do. There have been 77 fire-fighters are ill. The two certainly has the same name. For the majority of the others, we don’t know if it’s corona. They are in a home, and has not been tested.”
The question is, for how long, the fire department, it still saves it with the current stock of FFP2-surgical masks. “It is true that there is a lack of equipment,” says Labourdette. “We do not have enough surgical masks, wegwerppakken to just about anything that is needed. Can the board do anything about it. They are the political leaders: them is something to be ashamed of either. That is the account I will have to make. As we go through this crisis are going to be.”
