Photo By Sgt. Spencer Rhodes | Spc. Daniel Abreu, with the Florida National Guard's 1st Battalion, 124th Infantry...... read more read more
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Orlando, Fla. (May 14, 2020) – Continuity in the military is a buzzword often heard when unit organizations are preparing to be replaced or replace another organization. It is the understated glue that keeps things flowing smoothly. Holding onto the organizational memory needed for continuity is often vital. When done correctly, as it was for the new community-based testing site in Orange City, FL, it can be the difference between success and failure.
For the 1st Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment, that organizational memory comes from Spc. Malik Bibby, a combat-medic activated with the first rotation of Soldiers to participate in the Florida National Guard's support of the state's pandemic response.
A paramedic with extensive experience working in the University of Miami Hospital's intensive care unit in his civilian job, Bibby already had some experience working in a medical environment where COVID-19 was a focus. He spent the first two months of his activation working at CBTS' in South Florida, including the first site to open at CB Smith Park, in Pembroke Pines, FL.
"The CB Smith site was like the guinea pig, being the first site established in Florida. The small changes in sites were often based on the different partnerships," said Bibby. "At CB Smith for example, the main partnership was Memorial Hospital, which was right next to it. In Miami, it was working with the county and city, along with Fire Rescue."
Sgt. 1st Class Jean Maliska, the noncommissioned officer in charge for the Orange City CBTS said having soldiers on hand such as Bibby, who he often refers to as "Doc Bibby," along with their knowledge from their field environment or civilian background greatly adds to mission effectiveness. Once the rest of Bibby's unit in the 1-124th Infantry Regiment became activated in May, he was sent from Miami to assist in setting up the new site.
"His experience with working at multiple community based testing sites allowed me to tap his knowledge on what the SOPs [standard operating procedures] to put in place were, whether it was tracking tests, logistics, or even traffic patterns," said Maliska. "I basically followed his lead, and made it happen."
Bibby said that his experience working at a research hospital helped him acclimate to an environment that no one had had to work in before, and that experience, in turn, allowed him to pass it on to others.
"Obviously being in a university setting, we're very research oriented, and are always interpreting that research into practice. A lot of what was put into place at CB smith had a similar process based on 'what did the research say,' and how to make it work best," said Bibby. "We were able to take the methods we learned in Miami and emulate them here, with minor changes based on the local population density and traffic we expect to get."
Bibby is continuing his education after already receiving a Bachelors in Exercise Physiology and Sports Medicine from the University of Miami, and plans to continue his path towards becoming a Physician Assistant and practicing emergency medicine.
| Date Taken: | 05.14.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 05.14.2020 16:41 |
| Story ID: | 370017 |
| Location: | ORLANDO, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 173 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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