The new suits that are available to the Melfort Fire Department are said to be for "liquid splash protection". (Facebook/Melfort Fire and Rescue)

By Mat Barrett

Melfort Fire During COVID-19

Melfort Fire adjusting processes and equipment during pandemic

Apr 16, 2020 | 3:00 PM

The Melfort Fire Department made a few changes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those changes include a new type of suit — the ‘DUPONT TYCHEM 200’ — mostly used in petroleum, pulp, paper, food and chemical processing, and pharmaceutical industries.

Fire Chief Shaun Stewart said the suits provide liquid splash protection and defend wearers from biohazards including blood borne pathogens, blood, saliva, and other human waste products. Crews also wear medical exam gloves, and their regular boots while using these suits.

At minimum, if any members may come into contact with the public during a call, crews will respond with their full turnout gear and self contained breathing apparatus.

“Depending on what the call is, will determine what protective gear we will wear,” Stewart told northeastNOW. “If it is a medical assist, we will be in the protective suit. Carbon monoxide alarms or vehicle fires, we will be in our full turnout gear.”

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Meanwhile, the department has also development a plan with Melfort EMS to make sure contact is limited. If EMS arrives on a scene before the fire department, the fire crews will remain in their truck, close to the scene until called for assistance.

“All of Melfort emergency services, RCMP, EMS, and Melfort Fire Department are working very closely together on responses and trying to limit our exposures to the public as much as we can,” Stewart said. “We are all doing this as each department has limited resources of staff.”

With 21 members on the department, Stewart said all of the members are doing their best to social distance. Stewart said they’ve also been in contact with about 15 recently retired members of the department who have been social distancing and are willing to come back if needed.

Stewart said they have put these measures in place to make sure everyone stays healthy.

“Are the measures in place extreme? Possibly,” he said. “However, we won’t ever know if we were over prepared for the current situation at hand, but we will definitely know if we were under prepared.”

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6