CARIBOU, Maine — Businesses, organizations and people in the Caribou community have been helping the Caribou Fire Department however they can in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some have regularly bought the crew meals, while others have donated much needed personal protective equipment.
Members of the department recently stepped up to help volunteers at the Bread of Life Kitchen, which provides regular meals to people in the community, and is currently short-staffed as some of the elderly or potentially more vulnerable volunteers now need to shelter in place.
Caribou Bread of Life Kitchen volunteer coordinator Michelle Hersey said the firefighters also paid for 40 takeout meals from Cindy’s Sub Shop to be distributed at the kitchen.
On Wednesday, firefighters brought another 50 meals from Cindy’s Sub Shop to the kitchen. Volunteer firefighter Jacob Beaupre said this led to another great turnout and positive community reaction.
He said the crew isn’t seeking any glory for helping out and that they just want to ensure the community was fed and taken care of during these uncertain times.
Scott Susi, Caribou Fire and Ambulance chief, said the community has been continuously showing strong support for the crew. He said some residents who are sheltering at home have donated PPE such as masks that they do not need to use.
Because of the pandemic, each call that comes into the department needs to be screened by a professional medical official who determines if the caller could likely have the virus. If the caller is confirmed likely positive, the responders need to arrive wearing PPE to ensure that they don’t contract the virus.
“We’re burning through PPE just on recommendations from dispatchers,” Susi said, adding that while these recommendations have usually not led to a COVID-19 positive person, the crew is not able to take any chances by foregoing the protective gear.
The crew has one ambulance vehicle used specifically when responding to a call from someone who may have the virus, and the chief said these calls require extensive additional decontamination procedures both before and after.
“We have stringent decontamination practices in place if we go on one of those calls, not only for the truck and equipment, but also for the employees,” he said. “All their clothes are instantly laundered and they all immediately take showers following the call.”
“It really smells like bleach in here right now,” Susi added of the new cleaning requirements.
Like everyone else, the crew is trying to avoid being out if necessary, but when they are driving through Caribou, Susi said they often try to rotate between local restaurants in the city as much as possible, as the businesses have been hit particularly hard by pandemic restrictions.
And when they do visit these restaurants, Susi said either business owners or other customers will pay for their meals.
“The guys have reported people in line at the drive-thru paying for our stuff and we’ve gotten plenty of donations from places,” he said.
He said the crew is sincerely thankful for the support, and that this pandemic has not stopped them from being there for the community or slowed the service down in any way.
Overall, he said the support has been a huge boost to the crew’s morale.
“Community support is always good for public safety,” he said. “They’re not out there doing it for the money. They’re doing it because it’s a calling. They work 24/7, and birthdays and holidays are included in all of that. You miss out on a lot, and to see that the community supports them, and us — it’s worth its weight in gold.”
