GREENVILLE — Spirit Medical Transport sent four ambulance crews to New York from Greenville, Ohio, and Liberty, Indiana, Thursday night in an effort to help respond to the global pandemic.
>> Coronavirus: Franklin Monroe school teachers send a message to students during stay-at-home order
The crews are now in New York on site and working under the guidance of FEMA and state and local governments.
Global Medical Response set the deployment of American Medical Response crews in motion, including members of the Greenville and Liberty branches of Spirit Medical Transport, according to a release.
“It is heartbreaking to see how this virus is affecting over 1.5 million people globally," said Global Medical Response Chief Operating Officer Ted Van Horne."
"Our teams train year-round to help with crises, and now they are deploying to use their expertise to help patients in extreme need. They are dedicated to the patient who needs them.”
>> Tipp City Church delivers flowers to health care center hit hard by COVID-19
President and CEO of Spirit Medical Transport, Brian K. Hathaway, says the agency has carefully selected the personnel and resources going to New York so that the deployment will in no way negatively impact local needs.
A mental wellness leader was also sent to New York with the crews to continually assess, monitor and provide guidance on site.
“Our teams are seeing things they can’t prepare for, nobody can prepare for,” said Doctor Ed Racht, chief medical officer of Global Medical Response.
“As we have seen happen in other countries, caring for patients with this virus also takes a terrible toll on the caregivers. We want to do everything we can to help them with physical and mental well-being as they are helping people suffering from COVID-19.”
>> Coronavirus: Local cases, deaths reported to Ohio Department of Health
This deployment of crews is not the first.
Less than two weeks ago, Global Medical Response deployed hundreds of EMS crews and ambulances to New York.
Those crews are still there and assisting medics and firefighters in New York now alongside the local crews who arrived from Greenville and Liberty.
© 2020 Cox Media Group
