The Estevan Police Service has found a way to recognize the efforts of the healthcare staff at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
The EPS has placed large messages of support that cover the rear windshields of their two Chevy Tahoe police SUVs. In addition, they have provided small decals for health care staff to display on their personal vehicles so they can be recognized in the community for the service they provide.
Deputy Police Chief Murray Cowan said this was an idea the police had been considering recently, and it came together quickly after it was first discussed. Police Chief Paul Ladouceur had reached out to a couple of other organizations that were doing the same thing, and the EPS wanted to put their twist on it.
“We want to send the message out to the entire community that we’re all in it together, and of course we certainly wanted to pay tribute to our health workers that are dealing with it literally on the front lines,” Cowan said in an interview with Lifestyles.
The police are on the front lines, but they’re not as likely to be exposed to the pandemic as healthcare workers who are working in hospitals. And the EPS wanted to reinforce the need for people to take COVID-19 prevention measures seriously.
“The more people are out there with sending that message, the more people will respond to it,” said Cowan.
The graphics in the rear windshields of the SUVs urge people to stop the spread of COVID-19. They remind people to do their part with frequent hand washing, social distancing and sneeze and coughing etiquette.
It also say “thank you to our health care professionals,” and has a heart with the words “Stronger Together.”
Dynamic Signs completed the work on the two vehicles.
The Tahoes were selected because they’re a higher vehicle and the back windows are quite large, so they’re easier for people to see. One of them is used for the Combined Traffic Services of Saskatchewan unit, so it will be out on the highway as well as in the city, and visible to the public.
“We’ll see how well received it is, and there’s always the option to expand it if we so decide,” said Cowan.
Cowan reflected on how quickly people’s attitudes have changed. Less than one month ago, people were joking about social distancing, because it’s not a regular part of North American culture. Now people are used to it, and they recognize it’s important to maintain that two-metre distance.
“The message to the community is to follow what’s on the (rear window) sign,” said Cowan.
And he believes it’s also important to recognize healthcare workers at all times, and to give them a wave when they see the decal on the window.
Greg Hoffort, the executive director at St. Joseph’s Hospital, said the EPS approached them Tuesday morning to say they were working on an appreciation campaign to support healthcare workers. The police wanted to know if they could bring their vehicles over with the graphics they had in the back windows of their vehicles.
They also placed decals on the vehicle of healthcare employees in Estevan. Hoffort described them as nice and heart-shaped, with the words “stronger together.”
“They’re very simple and they’re very meaningful and I can tell you there’s lots of employees here at the hospital who are very appreciative of that.”
The hospital has a great working relationship with the EPS, he said. Officers are quick to respond whenever the hospital needs them, so for them to offer this simple gesture for the staff is great.
“We recognize the police are going through a lot and it’s a busy time for them as well, and the fact that they took some time to recognize our healthcare employees is really appreciated.”
The EPS can’t directly pass them out to employees due to the security measures at the hospital now, so they placed some decals on vehicles, and left the rest for the hospital to hand out.
This was something the hospital didn’t expect, and it’s certainly very much appreciated, Hoffort said.
“The staff here at the hospital, it’s not optional for them to stay home. They’re asking others to stay home so they can do the work they need to do here, so we can get this thing under control,” Hoffort said.
