On the front lines of the preventing and controlling the coronavirus epidemic in Wuhan are not only the doctors and nurses in the hospital, there are also the volunteer drivers in the CaoCao emergency epidemic prevention and control fleet. Doing their part to help their hometown fight the epidemic, the drivers of the emergency fleet hold themselves at the ready 24 hours a day in order to provide free mobility services to their communities.
Yao Jun
Name: Yao Jun
Position: Fleet Dispatch Manager and Driver
Date: February 2, 2020
Start Time: 5:30 AM
Most memorable experience of the day:
This morning all the drivers in the emergency fleet received protective medical equipment including google, masks, outerwear, etc in order to protect themselves while serving the community. I had to go to the Qingshan district management center to pick up the donated equipment and distribute them to the others. We have received lots of support and praise from everyone for us on the front-lines. To me, this is an affirmation of that what we’re doing is important and gives me an incentive to work harder making sure our drivers are protected and our vehicles are clean. I was born in Wuhan and am proud of our city.
Cao Shuliang
Name: Cao Shuliang
Position: Driver
Date: February 1, 2020
Start Time: 7:00 AM
Most memorable experience of the day:
Today I picked up an old man who needed to go buy medicine. After getting into the car, he said “wearing a mask is uncomfortable, can I take it off?” I told him no and explained the role the masks plays in preventing the spread of the coronavirus. Then I suggested as a solution that he open a window if he was feeling stuffy, which he calmly accepted. He was the calmest customer I’ve picked up the the past few days. His calmness reminded me what what my mother used to say “all things eventually pass.”
Li Xinxin
Name: Li Xinxin
Position: Driver
Date: February 1, 2020
Start Time: 7:00 AM
Most memorable experience of the day:
I saw the determination of our team today. We’ve received praise from all the residents of the community we serve. For me, I’m happy whenever I take someone to see the doctor or deliver medicine. Every time I complete a job, I feel like I’ve done a little bit to help fight the epidemic and make our city better. Each driver is cheering on Wuhan by doing what they do. In the afternoon, I helped distribute googles issued by the company to my fellow drivers. Even while we’re doing our job, we must remember always to protect our health. This fight isn’t something we can just give up and accept, each one of us must do everything in our power to help. Persevere and soon we’ll see the dawn.
Han Fei
Name: Han Fei
Position: Driver
Date: February 2, 2020
Start Time: 6:00 AM
Most memorable experience of the day:
At 6:30 AM I arrived at the community center, where community leaders distributes supplies on a weekly basis to the local rescue and support team. There’s no dispatch for any rides so I get out to help them hang some banners. In the late afternoon as I was about to end my shift, I received a dispatch to deliver fruits and condolences to families who lost loved ones in the community. Soon after picking up the items, I set out to deliver them to the families directly. I am reminded of a Chinese saying “Life is like a dream, passing in an instant”
Lei Hong
Name: Lei Hong
Position: Driver, Fleet Team Leader
Date: February 1, 2020
Start Time: 7:00 AM
Most memorable experience of the day:
Around noon, I completely disinfected my car and helped the new drivers check their vehicles. We then heard a dispatch request to take some family members of a suspected coronavirus patient to the hospital to pick up medicine. This job was already rejected by a few drivers from other services before getting to us. According to regulations, an ambulance cannot be used for non-emergency situations and private vehicles cannot be driven in Wuhan, so the only option was us emergency fleet drivers.
We asked local residents and the community for more information about the patient, after which we learned the patient was suffering from stomach pains and spit up some blood. She had a fever the day before, but not other symptoms of the epidemic such as runny nose or sore throat, which basically led the community to believe the patient likely didn’t have the coronavirus and was suffering from a stomach disease instead. After confirming the patient condition, I volunteered to take the family member to the hospital. Fully fitted with protective clothes, googles, masks, and gloves I went to pick up the passenger. After checking her temperature, we set off to the hospital. At the hospital, she asked me to wait about 20 minutes which I accept, but after she didn’t come out I started driving back to the community. Halfway back, I received a call from the community dispatcher saying a passenger needed to be picked up at the hospital. I turned back and there she was, the same passenger from before. When we returned, she thank me, but I replied out of habit saying “no need for thanks, please take care and remember to take all your belongings.”