With Covid19, we learned that not only were pandemics still possible despite all the technological advances, but that theater is particularly vulnerable. Matthew Stern of the Broadway Stage Management Symposium in his blog article "Ten Changes for Stage Managers & Life Backstage in a Covid World" calls for the creation of a new member of the management team :
"A new member of the management team will need to be created to manage company health issues & concerns. They could function like a cross between the child wranglers & physiotherapists we already use, but with the proper medical training. They would be part of the management team and have their own duties as Healthcare Manager. These would include temperature checks, testing, maintaining medical records, insure PPE was stocked, manage cleaning/disinfectant regimes, etc… as these duties CANNOT be the responsibility of stage management."
The most appropriate person to work as a Healthcare Manager would be someone who has the appropriate medical training as well as, ideally, an appropriate theater background. Such as an EMT with a Stage Management background.
Melvin has been a medical volunteer since 2009 and has held a EMT basic license since 2015. He has served as an event medic for over 140 events.
Certifications
Emergency Medical Technician - Basic, Georgia License: E5686 2015-present
Emergency Medical Technician - Basic, National Registry, Cert: E3218400 2015-present
Instructor, Stop the Bleed - Save a Life, American College of Surgeons 2019 (no expiration)
Stop the Bleed - Save a Life, American College of Surgeons 2019 (no expiration)