Unlike in March when the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation refused to transport coronavirus patients to the hospital, the Pattaya rescue group now is fully trained and aiding Covid-19 patients around the clock.
Rescue unit chief Prasit Thongthitcharoen admitted that the foundation was caught flat-footed by Thailand’s first-wave outbreak and didn’t have the knowledge or training to handle suspected coronavirus cases.
In March, 20 Sawang Boriboon paramedics went through training from the Institute of Emergency Medicine on how to protect themselves. But when the NIEM formed 100 coronavirus-response teams across the country, Sawang Boriboon wasn’t included.
In the months since, all of the Sawang Boriboon paramedics trained for a month to be certified a NEIM Special Covid-19 Operation Team “SCOT Team”, allowing them to respond to coronavirus cases and safely transport them to the hospital, Prasit said.
Those calling for help are questioned about a patient’s symptoms to determine if the coronavirus might be involved.
If so, teams, including drivers, respond in full personal protective equipment, which they discard at the hospital. They then are sprayed with disinfectant before returning to base.
Sawang Boriboon’s SCOT Team is now on call around the clock.
