Page 18 - Demo

REGIMENTAL
PIPES & DRUMS
Op Laser:
Saint Andrew’s Care Centre – Pon F32 (Black Watch) 06 May - 12 June 2020
The story of Black Watch platoon Foxtrot three two (F32) begins with an element of uncertainty. Since the 5th of April, we had spent the better part of a month training and preparing for the unknown. Up until this point, the platoon had been assembled during the COVID-19 pandemic to assist the Canadian public in whatever capacity both the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and the Government of Canada deemed necessary, but beyond the broad scope of the operation, there had been no hard details disseminated; simply gear up and wait out.
Then, quite literally overnight, the situation changed.
On the 2nd of May, both myself and the platoon commander, Capt Zachary Duma, were called to participate in a recce at the Saint Andrew Residential Care Centre, our new home for the better part of the next two months. Our mission: to provide general support to the remaining staff members and the CAF-supplied team of medical personnel made up of members from 2 Field Ambulance from CFB Petawawa, 33 Canadian Health Services Centre in CFB Kingston, and 1 Dental Unit Detachment in 8 Wing, CFB Trenton. Later, we welcomed additional members from CFB Borden.
The Saint Andrew Care Centre, though in a state of need, was still functioning with as high a level of care as the staff members could provide. I must admit, the organization seemed chaotic, though I was satisfied to learn that the 40-plus residents remaining of the Centre’s pre-pandemic 75 resident capacity were still receiving the best possible care the Centre could provide. At the onset of our mission Saint Andrew had roughly 40 residents who had tested positive for COVID-19 and were down to almost a skeleton crew of staff members and volunteers. The residence itself consists of three floors, with the top two floors being the homes for the residents. The staff, try as they might, attempted to quarantine residents who had tested positive to one floor, but the rampant spread of the virus rendered this kind of management impossible, and soon the entire Centre was deemed a “red” zone.
On the 6th of May, F32 moved into the Saint Andrew Care Centre, and the following six-week stay would impact the lives of the staff, soldiers, and residents all as one.
The CAF medical team was not just instrumental in assisting the Centre in re-establishing control over
By WO AWJ Wilson, CD
Pipe Major, The Black Watch (RHR) of Canada F32 2IC, GBT A Coy
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