SKILLS
SKILLS AS
SKILLS AS A PARAMEDIC COULD
>>>
>>> HE
>>> HE LEFT COLORADO FOR NEW YORK KNOWING THE RISKS OF
COVID-19 AT HIS AGE, BUT HE ALSO
KNEW THAT HIS SKILLS AS A
PARAMEDIC COULD SAVE LIVES.
66-YEAR-OLD PAUL HAS DIED OF
COVID-19.
COVID-19.
COVID-19. HE SPENT 30 YEARS WITH AURORA
FIRE AND SEVERAL MORE WITH AN
AMBULANCE SERVICE.
AMBULANCE SERVICE. WHILE IN NEW YORK CITY, HE
CONTRACTED THE VIRUS AND TODAY
WE LEARNED HE DIED.
>>> AND TONIGHT, CARES
AMBULANCE TEAM REMEMBERS HIS
BEGACY
BEGACY
BEGACY LEGACY AND TALKED TO REPORTERS.
>> WHILE HIS TEAM SAYS HE
STARTED HIS WORK IN NEW YORK ON
APRIL 1ST, AND WHILE THERE, HE
WAS ONE OF THE MANY PARAMEDICS
TASKED WITH GETTING PEOPLE WHO
TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID-19 TO
THE HOSPITALS.
THE HOSPITALS. HE WAS 66 YEARS OLD AND THOUGH
HE WAS TECHNICALLY CONSIDERED IN
THE AT-RISK GROUP, HE WAS
ADAMANT TO GO.
THEY SAY BEFORE HE GOT SICK, HE
WAS ALREADY PLANNING A SECOND
DEPLOYMENT TO NEW YORK.
REPRESENTATIVES FOR AMBULANCE
SAY HE STARTED SHOWING SYMPTOMS
AS OF LAST WEEK AND WAS ADMITTED
TODAY THE HOSPITAL IN THE BRONX
JUST A COUPLE DAYS LATER.
HE WAS EVENTUALLY PUT ON A
VENTILATOR AND THE TEAM SAID
THEY LEARNED OF HIS DEATH LATE
THIS AFTERNOON.
THIS AFTERNOON. >> THE ONE THING ABOUT PAUL
THAT I THINK RESONATES MORE
POWERFULLY FOR ME THAN ANYTHING
IS THE FACT THAT HE WAS DEVOTED
TO HIS WORK IN SUCH A WAY THAT
HE WOULD LITERALLY BE THE GUY
THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO PICK
UP A SHIFT WHENEVER IT WAS
NEEDED, PITCH IN WITH WHATEVER
PROJECT WAS NEEDED.
REALLY DEPENDABLE GENTLEMAN.
>> Reporter: HIS FAMILY HAS
ASKED FOR PRIVACY BUT SAID IN A
STATEMENT TONIGHT, QUOTE, HE
RISKED HIS OWN HEALTH AND SAFETY
TO PROTECT OTHERS AND LEFT THIS
WORLD A BETTER PLACE.
WE'RE AT PEACE KNOWING PAUL DID
WHAT HE LOVED UP TO THE VERY
END.
END.
END. THEY'LL BE RELEASING INFORMATION
AT A LATER TIME REGARDING CARY'S
FUNERAL SERVICES.
FUNERAL SERVICES. JORDAN CHAVEZ, 9NEWS.
>> REMARKABLE MAN.
>>> ONE PART OF MANAGING THE
SPREAD OF THE VIRUS IS TO TRACK
COVID-19 PATIENTS WHO THEY'VE
BEEN IN TOUCH WITH WHERE THEY'VE
BEEN.
BEEN.
BEEN. CONTACT TRACERS ARE PART PUBLIC
HEALTH WORKERS, PART DETECTIVES.
>> THE REALITY IS IT'S A LOT ON
THE PHONE.
THE PHONE. YOU'RE TALKING PRETTY MUCH
NONSTOP.
NONSTOP.
NONSTOP. >> EACH PHONE CALL IS A
MISSION.
MISSION.
MISSION. REBECCA LARSON IS LOOKING FOR
VERY SPECIFIC INFORMATION.
>> WHERE THEY'VE BEEN, WHO
THEY'VE BEEN WITH WHILE THEY
WERE POTENTIALLY INFECTIOUS.
>> Reporter: SHE'S AN
EPIDEMIOLOGIST FOR EAGLE COUNT
PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT,
PART OF A FIVE-PERSON CREW
INVESTIGATING COVID-19 CASES,
MONITORING PEOPLE IN ISOLATION
AND TRACING THEIR CONTACTS.
>> ANOTHER PART OF IT IS SHOWING
EMPATHY.
EMPATHY.
EMPATHY. THESE ARE DIFFICULT
CONVERSATIONS AND PEOPLE DO GO
THROUGH DIFFERENT EMOTIONS WITH
YOU OVER THE PHONE, AND BEING
ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT SPACE FOR
THEM, NOT BEING TOO ROBOTIC,
TRYING TO GET THROUGH YOUR
CHECKLIST.
CHECKLIST. >> Reporter: STATE HEALTH
OFFICIALS HAVE ADDED CONTACT
TRACERS TOO.
TRACERS TOO. >> THEY APPROACHED US
AND SAID WE'D LIKE TO HIRE SOME
STUDENTS, NOT JUST HAVE THEM
VOLUNTEER BUT HIRE THEM TO DO
THIS VERY IMPORTANT ACTIVITY OF
CONTACT TRACING.
CONTACT TRACING. >> Reporter: STUDENTS AT THE
COLORADO SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
ALREADY STUDYING INFECTIOUS
DISEASES AND PUBLIC HEALTH
ISSUES WILL NOW GET SOME REAL
WORLD EXPERIENCE.
WORLD EXPERIENCE. >> THIS WILL BE THE EXPERIENCE
OF A LIFETIME.
>> Reporter: EAGLE COUNTY BEGAN
REOPENING SOME BUSINESSES THIS
WEEK, LIKELY INCREASING PEOPLE'S
CONTACTS.
CONTACTS.
CONTACTS. LARSON'S TEAM SAYS THEY'RE
READY.
READY.
READY. >>
READY. >> WE'RE NOT EXPECTING TO GET
TO ZERO CASES, RIGHT?
AND STOMP OUT A VIRUS.
WE EXPECT IT TO BE AT THIS LOW
LEVEL AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE
WANTING TO KEEP IT BECAUSE WE'RE
WANTING TO KIND OF CUT THE
THREAD OF TRANSMISSION AND SO
THAT'S WHY WE DO THAT CONTACT
TRACING.
TRACING.
TRACING. >> LARSON SAID THE CONTACT
TRACERS ARE TRAINED ON WHAT
QUESTIONS TO ASK AND HOW TO GET
THROUGH THOSE DIFFICULT PHONE
CONVERSATIONS.
CONVERSATIONS. THEY START BY SHADOWING THE MORE
EXPERIENCED CONTACT TRACERS.
WITH THE 25 NEW FOLKS THAT THEY
JUST HIRED, THEY NOW HAVE A TEAM
OF 56.
OF 56.
OF 56. THEY'D LIKE TO ADD 25 MORE.
>>> COLORADO HAS ADDED ANOTHER
500 CASES TO ITS TALLY.
SO AS OF TODAY, MORE THAN 15,200
COLORADOANS HAVE TESTED POSITIVE
FOR COVID-19.
FOR COVID-19. THAT'S OUT OF MORE THAN 72,000
PEOPLE TESTED.
PEOPLE TESTED. OF THE NEARLY 2700 COLORADOANS
WHO HAD TO BE HOSPITALIZED
BECAUSE OF THE VIRUS, 756 ARE
STILL IN TREATMENT.
DOCTORS RELEASED OR TRANSFERRED
ANOTHER 58 PATIENTS TODAY.
777 DEATHS ARE BLAMED ON THE
VIRUS.
VIRUS.
VIRUS. >>> AND THAT NUMBER LIKELY
INCLUDES FIVE JBS EMPLOYEES WHO
DIED BECAUSE OF THE VIRUS BUT IT
MIGHT NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE SIXTH
EMPLOYEE WHO PASSED AWAY LAST
NIGHT.
NIGHT.
NIGHT. THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNION THAT
REPRESENTS WORKERS AT THE PLANT
SAY THAT THE MAN WOULD HAVE
TURNED 66 IN JULY.
SHE ALSO SAID HE HAD WORKED AT
THE PLANT FOR MORE THAN 30
YEARS.
YEARS.
YEARS. 245 WORKERS AT THE JBS PLANT,
WHICH HAS RESTARTED ITS
OPERATIONS, HAVE TESTED POSITIVE
FOR THE VIRUS.
DENVER PLANS TO JOIN A HANDFUL
OF OTHER COLORADO CITIES IN
MAKING FACE COVERINGS A
REQUIREMENT IN PUBLIC.
DETAILS OF THAT ORDER ARE
EXPECTED TO COME OUT NEXT WEEK.
TONIGHT RYAN HAARER SPOKE TO THE
MAYOR OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS, THE
FIRST CITY IN COLORADO TO
REQUIRE MASKS ABOUT HOW HIS CITY
REACTED OVER A MONTH AGO.
>> MAKING IT AN ACTUAL LAW AND
MANDATE CHANGE THINGS ALMOST
OVERNIGHT.
OVERNIGHT. >> Reporter: GLENWOOD SPRINGS
MAYOR SAYS BEFORE APRIL 7TH HE
DIDN'T SEE MANY PEOPLE IN FACE
COVERINGS.
COVERINGS. NOW THOUGH --
>> I VERY RARELY SEE SOMEBODY
NOT HAVING IT ON INDOOR IN A
PUBLIC PLACE.
PUBLIC PLACE. >> Reporter: IT'S A MOVE FIVE
OTHER COUNTIES HAVE FOLLOWED,
ALL ORDINANCES VERY SLIGHTLY BUT
IT'S A COMMON SENSE APPROACH.
PEOPLE INSIDE BUSINESSES ARE
REQUIRED TO SECURE A COVERING
AROUND THE FACE AND MOUTH.
MOST ORDERS DON'T REQUIRE THAT
FACE COVERINGS BE WORN WHILE
OUTSIDE WALKING THE DOG FOR
INSTANCE, BUT --
>> IF YOU'RE AT A TRAILHEAD OR
AT A PLACE OUTSIDE WHERE THERE
IS PEOPLE AND IT IS DIFFICULT TO
MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING, THEN
THAT IS A REQUIREMENT.
>> Reporter: WE REACHED OUT TO
THE PLACES WITH ORDERS TO SEE
WHAT ENFORCEMENT LOOKS LIKE.
GLENWOOD SPRING, ASPEN, SUMMIT
COUNTY, BOULDER, WHEAT RIDGE,
AND STARTING NEXT WEEK DENVER.
SOME HAVE WRITTEN PENALTIES INTO
ORDERS.
ORDERS.
ORDERS. >> WE TOOK A PRETTY AGGRESSIVE
APPROACH.
APPROACH.
APPROACH. THERE IS A FINE OF UP TO $1,000
AND ALSO UP TO 364 DAYS IN JAIL.
>> Reporter: BUT WE HAVEN'T
HEARD OF A SINGLE CITATION BEING
ISSUED STATEWIDE.
ISSUED STATEWIDE. WHEAT RIDGE, FOR EXAMPLE,
DOESN'T HAVE PENALTIES BUT SAYS
A BUSINESS COULD TRESPASS
SOMEONE WHO REFUSES TO COVER UP.
LEADERS SAY THIS IS MORE ABOUT
EDUCATION AND DOING THE RIGHT
THING.
THING.
THING. REMEMBER, FACE COVERINGS AREN'T
TO PROTECT YOURSELF AS MUCH AS
THEY ARE TO PROTECT OTHERS.
>> WE ARE NOT ASKED ENOUGH AS A
COUNTRY AND AS A COMMUNITY TO
SACRIFICE FOR OTHERS AND I THINK
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TIMES WHERE
IF PEOPLE ARE THINKING ABOUT IT,
IF OTHER LEADERS ARE EXAMINING
IT, THAT'S THE RATIONALE THAT WE
TOOK.
TOOK.
TOOK. >>
TOOK. >> Reporter: IN DENVER, RYAN
HAARER, 9NEWS.
HAARER, 9NEWS. >> AND TONIGHT GLENWOOD SPRINGS
CITY COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY
TO EXTEND THAT REQUIREMENT OF
FACE COVERINGS THROUGH AT LEAST
JUNE 4TH.
JUNE 4TH.
JUNE 4TH. >>> TOMORROW IS A SIGNIFICANT
DAY FOR COLORADOANS WHO ARE IN
COMMUNITIES NOT UNDER THE
EXTENDED STAY HOME ORDERS.
UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S SAFER AT
HOME ORDER, RETAILERS CAN ALLOW
PEOPLE INSIDE WITH STRICT
PRECAUTIONS STARTING TOMORROW.
SOME BUSINESSES IN DOUGLAS
COUNTY HAVE BEEN PREPPING FOR
THIS ALL WEEK.
PERSONAL SERVICES LIKE HAIR
SALONS CAN ALSO REOPEN.
COME MONDAY, OFFICES CAN OPEN
BACK UP BUT ONLY HALF OF THE
WORKERS CAN BE THERE IN PERSON.
>>> SEVERAL OF COLORADO'S MOST
POPULATED COUNTIES ARE NOT
ROLLING BACK RESTRICTIONS
TOMORROW.
TOMORROW.
TOMORROW. ADAMS, ARAPAHOE, BROOMFIELD,
DENVER, PITKIN COUNTIES,
JEFFERSON, ENDED THEIR STAY HOME
ORDERS THROUGH MAY 8TH.
>>> UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS KEEP
CLIMBING IN THE UNITED STATES.
OVER THE PAST SIX WEEKS, THAT
NUMBER ADDS UP TO MORE THAN 30
MILLION PEOPLE.
MILLION PEOPLE. THE FEDERAL RESERVE CHAIRMAN
SAYS HE EXPECTS THE UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE TO RISE ABOVE 10%.
>>> IN COLORADO, THE STATE SAYS
79,000 PEOPLE FILE FOR
UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS LAST WEEK.
NEW APPLICATIONS ARE UP NEARLY
20% AS GIG AND SELF EMPLOYED
WORKERS STARTED TO APPLY.
OVER THE LAST FIVE WEEKS, ALMOST
360,000 PEOPLE HAVE FILED FOR
UNEMPLOYMENT.
UNEMPLOYMENT. AND TO GIVE YOU SOME
PERSPECTIVE, THE STATE PAID $86
MILLION IN UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS
JUST LAST WEEK.
DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE
RECESSION, THAT WAS $19 MILLION
PER WEEK.
PER WEEK.
PER WEEK. LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT
UNEMPLOYMENT AND THEY CONTINUE
TO OVERWHELM THE STATE
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR'S CALL
CENTERS AT THIS POINT.
THE STATE HAS CREATED A CALLBACK
FORM.
FORM.
FORM. TEXT UNEMPLOYMENT TO
303-871-1491.
303-871-1491. AND WE WILL SEND YOU A LINK.
WE HAVE ALSO ANSWERED SOME OF
YOUR UNEMPLOYMENT QUESTIONS
TODAY.
TODAY.
TODAY. WE
TODAY. WE HAVE THOSE ANSWERS ON THE
9NEWS APP.
9NEWS APP. >>> DEMAND FOR MILK HAS DROPPED
OFF WITH RESTAURANTS AND SCHOOLS
CLOSED THESE DAYS BUT THE MILK
SUPPLY HASN'T CHANGED.
SO THE DAIRY FARMERS OF AMERICA
ORGANIZATION IS DONATING 30,000
GALLONS OF MILK TO FOOD BANKS IN
DENVER, BOULDER, AND DPREELY.
SALVATION ARMY IN DENVER IS
GETTING SOME AS WELL.
A REMINDER THAT OUR 9CARES
COLORADO SHARES VIRTUAL FOOD
DRIVE CONTINUES.
DRIVE CONTINUES. WE'RE PARTNERING WITH KING
SOOPERS AND THREE RADIO
STATIONS.
STATIONS.
STATIONS. DONATIONS GO TO THE FOOD BANK OF
THE ROCKIES.
THE ROCKIES. THE FOOD DRIVE