A number of emergency medical technicians are leaving their profession over fears they might contract COVID-19, putting stress on emergency response efforts.
There's no indication that the issue is widespread in the Bay Area, but paramedics, especially those that work for private medical transport companies, have had to balance the need for safety with dedication to their families.
John Bagala, president of the Marin Professional Firefighters Union IAFF Local 1775, said these EMTs are having to make tough decisions all around.
“For example, somebody could be totally happy with the risk at work,” Bagala said. “They could feel secure in their job, but because their children are not going to be returning to in-person instruction later on this year, they might have to make the decision to go ahead and withdraw from the workforce, to go ahead and provide family support or economic support elsewhere.”
Bagala told KCBS Radio that another drawback for paramedics who work for independent companies is that there’s generally no workers compensation available to them.
