New LBFD Unit to Support COVID-19 Patients

The Long Beach Fire Department has created a new mobile unit specifically for COVID-19 patients.

The Mobile Assessment Team (MAT) will assess, treat and transport people to area hospitals who have either tested positive for COVID-19 or have symptoms of the highly contagious disease. The one-ambulance unit will have two LBFD paramedics on board 12 hours a day, seven days a week. The stand-alone unit can help limit the spread of COVID-19 to others including patients, hospital staff and first responders.

“The Mobile Assessment Team is a proactive effort to manage the spread of COVID-19 in our community,” LBFD Fire Chief Xavier Espino said in a press release statement. “The creation of this unit enhances our capabilities and provides an additional resource during this public health crisis.”

MAT will remain in effect until further notice.

“This new mobile team will ensure that we are containing the spread of COVID-19 as best as possible and I’m grateful to our Fire Department for creating this new unit,” Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia said in the press release.

Regarding MAT procedures and sanitation, the press release states: “A positive screening is based on a list of questions about symptoms including fever, shortness of breath, coughing or flu-like symptoms. Dispatch provides this information to the MAT, who will then don the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and use caution while treating and transporting patients.

“After each patient transport, the team will replace used PPE and conduct necessary sanitizing procedures for both staff and equipment. This sanitation process will be completed at a predesignated location to mitigate any potential spread to other facilities, equipment and materials.”

Meanwhile, Long Beach residents continue to remain under a stay at home order, except for essential business. Testing is available at several locations throughout the city for those experiencing symptoms. More information is available through the city’s website LongBeach.gov.

A Long Beach press release Wednesday reported “489 positive results, including 44 people who are hospitalized and approximately 288 cases where people have recovered.

147 positive cases have been confirmed at a total of seven long-term care facilities in Long Beach, which includes sites with active cases, cleared cases and fatalities. These cases include both facility residents and staff members (who may not be Long Beach residents).

There are a total of 27 fatalities:

• All had underlying health conditions
• 22 are associated with long-term care facilities
• Three individuals were in their 50s, five were in their 60s, three were in their 70s and 16 were over 80 years old
• 11 individuals were men and 16 were women.”
• In California, there were 33,261 confirmed cases as of Wednesday, and nationwide, 802,583, according to the city website.
• Worldwide, there were 2,549,632 confirmed cases as of Wednesday with 175,825 deaths, according to the World Health Organization.

In the meantime, street sweeping tickets will not be issued in Long Beach until May 18. The City Council extended the temporary relief for street sweeping citations to May 18, the city announced Wednesday, adding the enforcement date is “the Monday following the expiration of the ‘Safer at Home’ order.”

kirt@beachcomber.news