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COVID-19

Emergency vehicle parades to show appreciation to Royal Inland Hospital workers

Mar 31, 2020 | 4:27 PM

KAMLOOPS — A Kamloops ambulance paramedic says he wants to show workers at Royal Inland Hospital that their hard work fighting COVID-19 is not going unnoticed.

Terry Jessup has organized what he is hoping will become a daily parade of emergency vehicles past the hospital.

Jessup says the first such parade will be held Wednesday evening.

“We’re going to gather together behind the courthouse,” Jessup told CFJC Today. “At 7:00, we’re going to head out onto Columbia Street and up in front of the hospital, around the back of the hospital and then come back out again with lights and sirens going showing our support, and our solidarity in this fight that we’re all in together.”

A movement has begun across the country to recognize healthcare workers at 7:00 p.m. every night by residents going outside and applauding or cheering with noisemakers.

Jessup says first responders have begun their own events of recognition as well.

“It’s starting across the country and it’s going on back east and down in the Lower Mainland. We want to show solidarity all over the place — right from the major, metropolitan centres right to the rural centres,” said Jessup. “We’re in this battle together and, by showing this solidarity, we can show that we are serious about combatting this virus.”

“We want to show solidarity. It’s not just those of us out on the street — police, fire and paramedics — but to the people who are working at the hospital. The entire hospital staff is working together throughout the province and throughout the world and we want to show solidarity with them as we all work together to fight the COVID-19 virus.”

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