BECAME ALL TOO REAL THAT THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAD HIT NEW
ORLEANS HARD NEW ORLEANS EMS IMMEDIATELY HEAD TO ASSUME ALL
OF THEIR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS HAD ALREADY BEEN EXPOSED TO THE
DEADLY VIRUS.
NO ONE COULD RISK TAKING IT HOME TO THEIR FAMILIES SUDDENLY.
THERE WAS NOWHERE TO HIDE HEATH ALLEN CONTINUES HIS SERIES
THROUGH THE EYES OF FIRST RESPONDERS.
FIRST WE WERE ALL CONFUSED AT WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND THAT WAS
THE MAIN FEAR WAS NOT KNOWING NOBODY KNEW BUT WITH TWO SMALL
CHILDREN AND A PREGNANT WIFE DAVID NOBLE REALIZED HE COULDN’T
GO HOME IN THE MIDST OF A GROWING PANDEMIC FISH OUT OF
WATER.
THEN HE REMEMBERED MISS JODY A FRIEND WITH A HORSE TRAILER ON
THE NORTH SHORE.
ALL THE WAY UP IN BUSH ADDED A BIT TO THE COMMUTE, BUT IT WAS
WORTH.
IT WAS WORTH KNOWING THAT MY WIFE AND KIDS WERE HOME SAFE.
WE DID A LOT OF TEXTING.
IT WAS DRIVEWAY.
WE NOBLE LIVED IN JODY’S HORSE TRAILER FOR WEEKS DRIVING IN
DAILY FROM THE NORTH SHORE TO PULL 12-HOUR SHIFTS IN AN
AMBULANCE.
IT WAS TOUGH TRYING TO COMFORT HIS TWO SMALL CHILDREN.
AS I ALL I WANT TO DO IS HOLD YOU AND GIVE YOU A HUG AND TELL
YOU THAT I DIDN’T LEAVE YOU.
THAT I STILL LOVE YOU.
I’M HERE.
I KNOW THAT HE’S GOT THAT PASSION IN HIM TO HELP SAVE
LIVES.
I’VE KNOWN HIM SINCE HE WAS 16 YEARS OLD, SO I WATCHED HIM ON
THAT JOURNEY.
DAVID WAS NOT ALONE ON THIS JOURNEY SO MANY MEDICS AND EMTS
JUST NEEDED A PLACE TO STAY.
I STARTED WORKING A TRUCK FULL TIME AT NIGHTS.
I DIDN’T HAVE A HOUSE AT THE TIME.
SO SLEEPING ON SOMEONE’S FUTON FOR ABOUT A MONTH STRAIGHT
LIVING OFF OF THE FOOD THE PEOPLE GRACIOUSLY DONATED TO US
AND LIKE OFF OF RIDES.
WAS REALLY SURREAL.
I WANT TO GET ANYBODY SICK.
SO I STOPPED OFF AT ONE OF THE NEARBY HOTELS ON MY WAY HOME.
STAYED THERE FOR TWO DAYS.
I NEED HELP.
WE ARE DROWNING EMS DEPUTY MEDICAL DIRECTOR, DR. MEG
MARINO.
HAD TO FIND HOMES FOR THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS ON THE STREETS.
A PLACE TO REST IN THE BATTLE AGAINST THE VIRUS.
I NEED HELP.
CAN YOU CAN YOU JUST DO THIS FOR ME, PLEASE?
WELL, YOU KNOW STAYED ON THE PHONE.
AND CALLING IN FAVORS FROM FRIENDS REACHING OUT TO AIRBNB’S
LEFT VACANT BY THE PANDEMIC LOOKING FOR BEDS FOOD.
RESPITE EVEN SOME DIAGNOSED WITH COVID-19 QUARANTINING.
WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY STUFF A LOT OF MY
FRIENDS STEPPED UP AND JUST SAID, WHAT DO YOU NEED?
THEY CAN COME OVER THEY CAN COME OVER RIGHT NOW.
I’M MAKING THE BED RIGHT NOW FOR THEM.
THE RESPONSE WAS A HIGHLIGHT AND IT REALLY REMINDED ME OF THE
BEAUTY OF OUR CITY.
RESILIENCE AND HOW WE COME TOGETHER IN THESE MOMENTS
BECAUSE WE WE HAD ENOUGH THE OTHER SHORTAGE BELIEVE IT OR NOT
FOOD.
WE’RE ABLE TO GET FOOD DONATIONS FROM 53 AREA BUSINESSES.
THEY IT JUST FELT LIKE THE FOOD KEPT COMING.
WE WERE OFFERING TWO MEALS A DAY TO OUR EMPLOYEES.
AND THEY PAID IT FORWARD WHEN HURRICANE SALLY HIT PENSACOLA
AND ESCAMBIA NEW ORLEANS EMS GATHERED FOOD THEMSELVES AND A
REFRIGERATOR AND THEN DROVE IT BY AMBULANCE TO FLORIDA.
A LOT OF OUR PERSONALITY DIDN’T HAVE POWER WATER WE WEREN’T ABLE
TO RETURN HOME.
SO WHEN THEY SHOWED UP THAT DAY NOT ONLY WITH AN EMAIL AND FULL
OF FOOD AND A REFRIGERATOR FOR OUR GUYS TO STORE EVERYTHING.
IT WAS IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE FOOD AND A PLACE TO STAY AT A
PREMIUM, BUT NOTHING WAS SO IMPORTANT EARLY ON AS PPE LIFE
AND DEATH ON SO MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS AND IT LED TO A NUMBER OF
CRITICAL PROTOCOL CHANGES INSIDE EMS.
YOU’LL SEE HOW IT ALL UNFOLDED.
THROUGH THE EYES OF THE FIRST RESPONDERS HEATH ALLEN WDSU NE