First responders from across the Roanoke Valley applauding nurses at LewisGale.
Countless people in the community have stepped up to make a difference amid the COVID-19 pandemic. To show their appreciation for health care workers, local first responders recently held a celebration at LewisGale Medical Hospital. During the gathering, Roanoke Valley Public Safety agencies lined up and recognized hospital employees as they walked through the doors to start their shift.
The COVID-19 virus has impacted John Prillaman’s work substantially. As Salem’s Emergency Management Coordinator, he has participated on numerous conference calls with regional and state partners to ensure that the city is properly prepared to respond.
“I have also worked with each individual City of Salem Department to make certain that they are ready to respond if their staff is impacted by the virus. We have personnel working in different offices and from home to ensure continuity of operations,” said Prillaman who has served as Salem’s Fire Chief since 2015.
He added, “As the Fire & EMS Chief, we have spent many hours acquiring the correct protective equipment, developing new procedures and training to respond to COVID-19 positive patients. We have also implemented new procedures to protect our personnel and ensure their safety.”
Overwhelming evidence suggests that the more people practice social distancing and listen to the health professionals, the better off the community will be. Prillaman is pleased that so many locals have been taking the coronavirus seriously.
Anytime that Prillaman gets a chance to recognize the doctors, nurses and hospital staff that are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 virus, he tries to take full advantage.
“Last Thursday was a great event and I hope it demonstrated just how much we appreciate the efforts of our health care providers. All fire, police and sheriff agencies had representatives at both LewisGale and Roanoke Memorial hospitals,” he said. “The celebration took place on April 16 because it was a date that all of the Roanoke Valley Public Safety Departments could participate.”
