Zach Hagley stands in front of his Carle Arrow Ambulance truck.
Zach Hagley
EMTs work together with others
JENNIFER BAILEY
[email protected]
There’s been added stress with CO-
VID-19, in an already stressful job of
being an emergency medical technician
and seeing people usually on one of
their worst days.
However, 29-year-old Zach Hagley
said he’s been amazed and proud of the
local health agencies working together
during this unprecedented time, and the
understanding and cooperation from
patients.
He said it’s been “pretty refreshing”
on how the entire community has come
together for everyone’s safety.
Hagley of Bismarck is an EMT with
Carle’s Arrow Ambulance service.
28 OUR COMMUNITY 2020
He’s been with Arrow a little more
than a year, but has been a volunteer
EMT and firefighter for four years.
He works 24-hour shifts and then is
off for 48 hours.
“I mean at first it was kind of hectic,”
Hagley said.
There was talk about this new threat
of a virus on top of any other existing
dangers and possible threats in the
health care field, he said. With this being
fairly new, they had to make sure they
protect themselves.
“It was kind of stressful at first; a lot
more added stress,” he said.
Hagley said they have new protocols
now in wearing masks and eye protection,
in addition to continuing to wear
gloves. They also have gowns and face
SUSAN JOY MCKINNEY/OUR COMMUNITY
shields if needed.
“We’ve always done a very good job
of sanitation and keeping everything
clean,” he added.
He said they’ve kind of doubled up
on doing those cleaning protocols right
now.
“That’s really taken a toll on some of
us,” he said.
He said it takes time to get ready
for the next patient with their cleaning
procedures, doubling the time to be
available again.
“It can slow our response,” he said,
adding that it can require someone else
to be called to respond when they’re
available.
Depending on how his shift went,
he doesn’t have close contact with his