What changes for Saskatoon emergency responders with COVID-19 restrictions over?
Here is what to expect when the Saskatoon Police Service, Saskatoon Fire Department or Medavie Health Services West paramedics attend calls. Saskatoons emergency responders will continue to wear face masks when attending medical calls, and dispatchers will continue to ask COVID-19 screening questions. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content  All public health order restrictions related to the state of emergency declared by the provincial government in March 2020 ended on Sunday. We apologize, but this video has failed to load. tap here to see other videos from our team. Back to video  Here is what to expect when the Saskatoon Police Service, Saskatoon Fire Department and Medavie Health Services West ambulance staff attend a call:  Saskatoon Police Service:  During the COVID-19 pandemic, Saskatoon police issued 112 tickets under the provincial public health order. With the end of the pandemic public health order comes the end of its enforcement by police and public health officers. Saskatoon police said their staff will be encouraged to continue to practise physical distancing when interacting with the public. Wearing medical-grade face masks will be optional, with some exceptions, including while attending medical calls or calls where children 12 years of age or younger are present. Officers are asked to have masks on hand and abide by any businesss mask use guidelines. Communications staff will continue to ask screening questions for calls for service and personal protective equipment and physical distancing shall be used when officers attend calls where the response to any of the screening questions is positive, police said in an emailed statement. At the police headquarters service centre, masks will be available but their use is optional. Saskatoon Fire Department:  Protocols will not change for firefighter paramedics, who deal with medical emergencies, lift assists and motor vehicle collision response. Deputy fire chief Mike Ralston noted they have always worn personal protective equipment, but are wearing PPE that provides higher level protection.