By day,听青青草视频听Senior IT Manager Randy Deitemeyer spends his time working with innovative tools and technologies to help deliver value and drive business process excellence at JM. His areas of focus include sales and distribution, transportation, financial forecasting, enterprise mobility and more.
By nights and on weekends,听Deitemeyer听volunteers with the Larkspur Fire Department in Douglas County, Colorado. He averages between 600 and 700 volunteer hours each year, serving as a firefighter, an EMT and a leader of the Hazardous Materials Training Academy, which includes response efforts for infectious diseases.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,听Deitemeyer听and his team have had to adjust their efforts and adapt to a new set of challenges.听
鈥淚n a few short weeks we have been forced to rapidly evolve our 9-1-1 response efforts,鈥澨鼶eitemeyer听said. 鈥淲e are now required to wear an N95 mask on every call regardless of a patient鈥檚 symptoms and have听dedicated a medic unit to respond specifically to COVID-19 symptomatic patients.鈥�
Firefighters endure dangerous and multi-hazardous environments amid 鈥渢ypical鈥� circumstances, and COVID-19 has made those conditions even more difficult to navigate.听Deitemeyer听said wearing an N95 respirator leads to greater physical exertion and strain due to restricted respiration. He and his team have also noticed increased levels of anxiety among their patients, out of fear of exposure to the virus if they are sent to the hospital.听
Through it all,听Deitemeyer听said he听is grateful for the many supplies local citizens and businesses have donated to his team. He听said he听is also thankful for the 鈥済lobal family鈥� of firefighters he鈥檚 worked with听throughout his six years as a volunteer. His experience has given him a sense of community both at home and abroad.听
鈥淚t is customary for firefighters from around the world to visit other firehouses when they travel to a foreign country to exchange department patches, share stories and talk through local protocols and procedures,鈥澨鼶eitemeyer听said. 鈥淟ast year, I had the opportunity to travel to China, Mongolia and South Korea, and I met with emergency management personnel from each country.鈥疍espite language barriers, I was welcomed with open arms. To this day, I correspond regularly with a fellow firefighter who I met in Seoul. It has been great to stay in touch with him throughout this epidemic.鈥澨�
Deitemeyer听received a message from that firefighter just last week. It included well wishes and a positive and hopeful affirmation that experts will find a cure for COVID-19 soon.听Deitemeyer听is proud to have found camaraderie through a mutual desire to serve others,听despite the inherent risks involved.听
