Frontlines | Florida National Guard eases fears of residents at COVID-19 testing sites

COVID-19 testing sites feature soldiers looking after their own

CONTACT YOUR BANK BEFORE IT’SDUE... TO EXPLORE ALL OF YOUROPTIONS.FLORIDA NATIONAL GUARD TROOPSARE CURRENTLY STATIONED AT 10COMMUNITY BASED TESTING SITESTHROUGHOUT THE STATE.

THESE MENAND WOMAN ARE ON THEFRONTLINES... DOING WHAT THEYCAN TO EASE THE MINDS OFFRIGHTENED FLORIDIANS LOOKINGFOR ANSWERS.

IN SOME CASES, THEYCOULD EVEN BE YOUR NEIGHBOR.MANY OF THEM... LIVE AND WORKHERE.

PHOTOJOURNALIST MATTHEWAPTHORP GIVES US AN INSIDE LOOKAT WHAT THESE TROOPS ARE FACING.WE ARE SUPPORTING A COMMUNITYBASED TESTING SITE, SUPPORTINGTHE CITIZENS SO THEY CAN GETTHEIR COVID TESTS.

HERE AT THESITE I’M TESTING THE PATIENTSTHAT COME THROUGH.

WE’VE BEENHERE ON SITE FOR ABOUT 4-WEEKSSO FAR.

I’M DANIEL HERRERA, I’MA COMBAT MEDIC.

I’M LT.

COL.TINA MADOVOY I’M NOELIA RENDON,I’M A COMBAT MEDIC THROUGHOUTTHE VARIOUS SITES IN FLORIDATHERE ARE OVER 2,200 SOLDIERS.THE FLORIDA NATIONAL GUARD HASTESTING OVER 38,000 RIGHT NOW.PATIENTS WILL PULL UP IN THEIRVEHICLES.

WE’LL EXPLAIN WHAT ISABOUT TO HAPPEN.

HELLO, MY NAMEIS NOELIA RENDON.

I’M HERE TOTEST YOU FOR CORONAVIRUS.

HELPPUT THEIR MINDS AT EASE IF THEYHAVE ANY NERVES OR ANY FEARS.THEY COME IN AND THEY SEE USWITH OUR PERSONAL PROTECTIVEEQUIPMENT AND THEY’RE SCARED.WE’RE THE FIRST PERSON THAT THEYCOME IN CONTACT WITH.

USUALLY IJUST WORD IN A SENSE THAT KINDOF MAKES THEM LAUGH SO I’LL KINDOF SAY, HEY IF YOU HAVE TOSNEEZE FORTUNATELY YOU’RE GOINGTO BE SNEEZING ON YOUR HUSBANDOR YOUR BOYFRIEND OR THE PERSONNEXT TO YOU, JUST NOT ON MEPLEASE.

I’LL JUST TELL THEM THISMAY TICKE.

WHAT WE’RE TRYING TOPORTRAY IS THAT WE’RE HERE WITHTHEM ESSENTIALLY TO FIGHT THISTHING TOGETHER.

THIS IS MYHOMETOWN AND THIS IS MYCOMMUNITY THAT WE’RE TRYING TOHELP.

I HAVE FAMILY IN SOUTHFLORIDA, CENTRAL FLORIDA ANDNORTH FLORIDA SO THROUGHOUT THEENTIRE STATE.

SO IN A SENSE ITIS MORE EMOTIONAL AND I AM MORECONNECTED TO THE MISSION.

IT’SAFFECTING NEIGHBORS, PEOPLE THATWE POSSIBLY KNOW, PEOPLE THATWE’RE CLOSE TO, FAMILY MEMBERS.THERE IS ALWAYS SOME FEAR IN THEBACK OF MIND.

THE FACT THAT ITIS AN UNSEEN ENEMY.

BUT THAT ISWHY I SIGNED UP.

TO BE ABLE TOHELP THE COMMUNITY AND THECOUNTRY AS MUCH AS YOU CANREALLY.

THIS IS REALLY AWESOMETO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THESUPPORT TO OUR COMMUNITY.

I KNOWOUR SOLDIERS ARE REALLY HAPPY TOBE HERE GIVING BACK TO WHERETHEY LIVE AND BEING ABLE TO MAKEA DIFFERENCE RIGHT NOW.

WHETHERWE’RE HERE OR WE’RE STATIONED INANY OTHER PART OF FLORIDA IT’SIMPORTANT THAT THE COMMUNITYKNOW THAT WE’RE HERE FOR THEM.THE MISSION DOESN’T CHANGEREGARDLESS OF THE LOCATION