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    Maine National Guardsmen Receive N95 Fit Test Training

    Maine National Guardsmen Receive N95 Fit Test Training

    Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Alyson Pelletier | Airmen from the 101st Air Refueling Wing, Maine Air National Guard and Soldiers from...... read more read more

    AUGUSTA, MAINE, UNITED STATES

    04.24.2020

    Story by Staff Sgt. Alyson Pelletier 

    Joint Force Headquarters - Maine National Guard

    Augusta, ME -- Airmen from the 101st Air Refueling Wing, Maine Air National Guard (MEANG), and Soldiers from the Maine Army National Guard’s (MEARNG) Medical Detachment, attended an N95 mask training and fit test coordinated by the Maine Center for Disease Control (CDC) at the Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) Augusta, Maine April 24, 2020.

    The 14 National Guardsmen volunteered to be part of a medical taskforce to assist in the state response to COVID-19.

    The Healthcare Coalition of Central Maine coordinator, Mike Hatch, who conducted the training for the National Guardsmen said, “The requirements are written in OSHA regulations, and they’re very precise. And that has to be followed to specific protocols, said Hatch. “This kind of training is important so that everybody realizes what the requirements are.”

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, the N95 mask is one of the primary personal protective equipment for healthcare workers. However, not all healthcare staff members are trained on the proper way to wear the masks and that is where the Maine National Guard (MENG) comes in.

    The Soldiers and Airmen will be sent to train staff members, who work in the healthcare service, including long term care facilities, how to properly use and wear the masks.
    “There’s a very finite number of people in the state of Maine who are trained to be able to fit test, and fewer that are able to train others to fit test,” said Hatch. “The National Guard’s going to fill in a lot of gaps.”

    Air Force Master Sgt. Nicki Porter, is a first sergeant with the 101st Air Refueling Wing out of Bangor, Maine. She said, “I volunteered for this task force because I’m concerned about the welfare, not only of my troops, but of my community, my entire state. We’re all interconnected in this state.” She is also a registered nurse outside of the military. “I want to make sure we are protected to the best of our abilities.”

    Part of protecting the community is making sure that the personal protection equipment (PPE) of healthcare providers is worn correctly. Referring to the PPE, Porter said, “It has to be fit tested to make sure that they’re getting an adequate protection from this virus, from the exposures that they’re inevitably going to face during patient care.”

    Army Sergeant Nicholas Whitmore, a healthcare specialist in the Maine Army National Guard’s medical detachment, also volunteered for the taskforce as an opportunity to help his community and state. He explained what the fit test involved.

    “The fit test entails spraying a saccharin spray inside of a hood, and what we are doing is we are testing the seal on the mask itself to make sure we can’t smell or taste those. We have to make sure that there is a proper seal, making sure that it is sealed up around the nose and down underneath the chin, and that there’s a proper seal whenever we do any type of movements, whenever we do any type of speaking.”

    If the person wearing the mask can taste the spray at any time, the seal is not good and the person may require a different shape or size mask.
    Being trained, certified and available to assist with fit mask testing and training others is just one of the activities the Maine National Guard is involved in with the COVID-19 response.

    Maine Gov. Janet Mills activated the MENG to assist with COVID-19 response. Since being activated, the MENG remains an instrumental asset for the Maine CDC and MEMA delivering PPE and other equipment to facilities, and other logistical operations.

    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 04.24.2020
    Date Posted: 05.01.2020 15:22
    Story ID: 369024
    Location: AUGUSTA, MAINE, US

    Web Views: 169
    Downloads: 0

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