Armstrong EMT Lauren Malsick led a continuing education program for Armstrong staff and other first responders.

As world health leaders work to address the global spread of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), Armstrong Ambulance is responding by providing its caregivers with the knowledge and skills they need to both support patients in need and protect themselves.

On Monday, Feb. 3, Armstrong hosted an Infectious Diseases Seminar at its Center of Education in Woburn. The program, developed in response to the global spread of Coronavirus that began in Wuhan, China, was led by Armstrong EMT Lauren Malsick.

Armstrong staff, including EMTs and paramedics, as well as partner public safety personnel from the Medford Fire Department and Tufts University Police Department took part in the seminar.

While viruses like COVID-19 cause fear, Malsick stressed that the flu kills thousands every year and poses a more dangerous threat to the population, overall. She also reminded providers of the importance of vaccination, especially against diseases like the measles, which are far more infectious and dangerous than the coronavirus.

The training also emphasized the importance of disinfecting by washing hands and thoroughly cleaning EMS work spaces, including ambulance patient compartments and vehicle cabs.

In addition to her role with Armstrong, Malsick holds a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology and biochemistry and a master’s degree in biotechnology from Boston University, and has worked in a high containment facility focused on Ebola and other hemorrhagic fever viruses.

“Our providers encounter a broad array of patients, so it’s important that they have all the information they need to provide the best possible care while also keeping themselves safe,” CEO Rich Raymond said. “Lauren is an expert on this topic and she gave everyone who took part some valuable insight that they can draw upon if the need arises while treating their patients.”

Armstrong EMT Cole Turissini and Paramedic John Sossei (back row) traveled to Haiti last month to share life support techniques with medical professionals.

Armstrong Ambulance is pleased to announce that two staff members recently returned from a week-long trip to Haiti, where they trained hospital staff on advanced life support techniques.

From Jan. 19-26, Paramedic John Sossei, interventional cardiologist Carl Turissini and his son, Armstrong EMT Cole Turissini visited Hôpital Sacré Coeur in Milot, Haiti. While there, the trio worked with doctors, nurse practitioners and registered nurses to develop their advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) and pediatric advanced life support (PALS) skills.

In addition, Dr. Turissini donated two monitors/defibrillators to the hospital to support their cardiac life support efforts. The three worked with Haitian medical professionals, as well as a doctor from Cuba, and were able to share their expertise despite language barriers between the English speaking instructors and French, Spanish and Haitian Creole speaking students.

Hôpital Sacré Coeur is a 200 bed hospital that is the largest in northern Haiti, which is the poorest country in the western hemisphere according to the World Bank. It has provided uninterrupted service to that region of the country for almost 30 years.

“It was truly one of the biggest honors of my life to teach these skills to such a dedicated group of medical practitioners,” Sossei said. “They were all extremely prepared and had a huge desire to learn, and were receptive to our ideas and guidance.”

Over the course of a week, Sossei and the Turissinis worked with their Haitian and Cuban peers to share the lifesaving ACLS and PALS skills, which will in turn be shared with other medical professionals at the hospital.

ACLS is used in the urgent treatment of cardiac arrest, stroke, myocardial infarction and other life-threatening cardiovascular emergencies, while PALS is used to treat children in emergency situations.