Ah, the holidays—peace, joy and … germs! Cold and flu activity is peaking and that means your first-responder crew could be impacted. Fortunately, from police and firefighters to EMS, there are some key ways to curb the spread of illnesses within your crew.
- Provide Vaccines
For first responders in the medical space like EMS, certain vaccines may be required or highly encouraged. But all types of first-responder organizations can benefit from providing easy access to vaccination for their crews. While experts recommend getting vaccinations early in the season (October and November), it’s not too late—as flu season extends as far as May. Call in a partner who can come out to your site and provide vaccinations. This ensures a higher rate of vaccination among your whole crew.
- Communicate Your Protocol
As first responders, your crew is likely already well-educated on how illness can spread. However, it’s still vital to have clear, visual reminders around your location about symptoms to watch out for and ways to curb transmission. Furthermore, make sure you crew knows how your organization expects employees to deal with symptoms of illness—how they should report them, how long they should stay home after symptoms appear and when it’s safe to return to work, for example. You can also make a habit of taking regular temperature checks during the height of cold and flu season.
- Enable Good Hygiene and Cleaning
Education about preventing the spread of illness only goes so far. Be sure you have the tools and supplies to enable good hygiene practices—particularly frequent handwashing/sanitizing. This could include signage, plenty of soap, and sanitizing stations in key areas, as well as access to personal protective equipment (PPE).
Cleaning and sanitizing common areas and shared equipment—including shared vehicles—is another key way to prevent the spread of illness. Provide your crew with access to cleaning supplies, such as disinfectant wipes, and encourage them to wipe down surfaces after use.
- Make Space
Physical distancing may seem like a throwback from the pandemic, but it’s never a bad idea to revisit this tactic during the peak of cold and flu season. While physical proximity among first responders is sometimes unavoidable, efforts should be made to maintain physical distance whenever possible. This can include increasing the space between workspaces, encouraging team members to maintain distance during breaks and even allowing remote work when possible.
- Plan Ahead
No matter how thorough your efforts to prevent illness, you’re bound to encounter illness among your team this season. But with proactive planning, you can keep the impact to a minimum. Think through and answer the following questions:
- How can you adjust processes when several key employees are out sick?
- Who are the “backups” for certain jobs/responsibilities if someone is sick?
- Do you have access to temporary or contract labor to fill in gaps for sick team members?
Stay Healthy and Happy This Season
Your crew of first responders is focused on helping your community—make sure you have someone who looks out for their health and happiness! From workplace injuries and health condition screening to mental health support and primary care, 10-4 Medical is a full-service medical provider dedicated solely to first responders and their families. Our services are available on-site, 24/7, ensuring convenient, accessible care with no-surprise pricing and no hidden costs. Contact us to learn more.
