Vaughan firefighters, GlobalMedic deliver more then 2.500 kg of food, goods to community

Organizations teamed up to distribute anti-COVID-19 kits to Fortinos shoppers and donate to Vaughan Food bank

Yorkregion.com
August 4, 2020

Members of Vaughan Fire and Rescue Services are backed by GlobalMedic to raise awareness on how to stop the spread of COVID-19. - Vaughan Fire and Rescue Services photo

With the help of Vaughan firefighters, GlobalMedic -- a Canadian charity that provides short-term, rapid response aid in the wake of crisis at home and abroad -- has donated 500 kits, containing soap and washable face masks to customers at Fortinos on July 27.

The idea is to drive “behavioural changes” to curb the spread of COVID-19 through firefighters, considered to be “trusted members” of the community, said Rahul Singh, a Toronto paramedic and the founder and executive director of GlobalMedic.

“We are all in this together,” said Singh, who urged for “compliance” on wearing the masks and adhering to what he called the 3Ps.

GlobalMedic has been promoting the 3Ps to fight COVID-19. It has three tenants based on: Protect yourself by washing your hands with soap for more than 20 seconds; protect your family by getting tested if you have symptoms or if you may have been exposed to someone with symptoms; and protect your community by wearing a mask when social distancing is a challenge or you are in a public space.

Of its 10,000 kits, GlobalMedic donated more than 5,000 in Brampton, more than 3,000 in Oshawa and 500 thus far in Vaughan, where it’s expected to conduct “sporadic events” to increase awareness of the 3Ps.

Singh said the fighters who distributed the kits engaged with the public to “drive the point home.”

In addition to its kits, GlobalMedic has donated 2,500 kilograms of food to the Vaughan Food Bank to aid "marginalized communities."

“Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service understands that our duty, obligation, and promise to provide fire and life safety services to all the people who live, work, learn and play in the City of Vaughan is a never-ending pursuit and we wouldn’t want it any other way,” said VFRS Chief Deryn Rizzi.

“As we pass the six-month mark of our city’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the mayor and members of council, city staff, community partners, the business community and the citizens of Vaughan should be acknowledged for their tireless efforts under these unprecedented and demanding circumstances and for embracing the guiding principles: locally executed, provincially determined, and federally supported for emergency response and recovery.”

On March 17, Vaughan declared a state of emergency, the same day Ontario did.

Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua said, “Ensuring the health and safety of Vaughan citizens involves providing them with practical and useful information, tools and resources to help keep themselves and their families safe.

“It is for this reason that I was pleased to join Rahul Singh from GlobalMedic, who donated more than 500 safety kits and 2,500 kilograms of food, with the help of Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service,” he continued.

The mayor said the donation will also “generate even greater awareness of COVID-19 prevention measures.”

“We must use our common sense, intelligence and continue making wise choices to eradicate this virus,” he said. “We are all in this together, and we will emerge stronger.”