Fit Test Technician

About the Program

Category: Risk and Emergency Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

Pre-pandemic, local emergency services such as Fire, EMS and Law Enforcement, did not utilize a fit test procedure of N95 masks for the protection of employees and citizens. Fit testing for medical grade N95 masks was isolated to health care facilities, such as hospitals. As the pandemic ramped up, Sedgwick County Fire District 1 (SCFD) identified an emergent need to test and outfit employees in both Fire and EMS with N95 masks. As COVID-19 became a tangible threat to the County, SCFD purchased a new AccuFit9000 Fit Testing Machine in May of 2020 to allow testing of personnel on the N95 masks used to protect them during contact with potentially Covid positive citizens on medical calls. After completing the testing of SCFD responders, the offer was also extended to Sedgwick County Emergency Medical Services (SCEMS) to provide them with accurate testing results and prevent staffing shortages from Covid positive cases within county first responders. Along with SCFD, SCEMS was able to provide two light duty personnel to allow the program to continue fulfilling new requests from local departments. As of today, this team has been able to test 2,163 people from over 20 agencies, both internal to the County and external, with further testing scheduled.