BLOOMFIELD, Pa. — Paramedics normally respond to emergency calls. But on Thursday, medics answered nature’s call by helping build a new vegetable garden.
“I was very impressed with paramedics, you know, assisting and putting this together,” Amera Gilchrist, Pittsburgh District EMS Chief said. “All this work was done by them — between calls! It’s impressive.”
The paramedics planted herbs, vegetables and a variety of tomatoes, which will all be used to cook healthy meals, reported CBS.
“Hopefully, we get some good vegetables out of it,” paramedic Jay Elwood said. “I think one of the agreements was that they would either make some pasta with tomato sauce or some salads.”
The garden is part of a new campaign to encourage EMS personnel to eat healthier meals and be more active. The city partnered with Pittsburgh Mercy’s Intellectual Disabilities Services Alternative Employment and Training Center.
The project allows paramedics local access to ingredients for healthy meals, and those participating in the AETC program are able to use their gardening skills.
“This is a really good opportunity for us to come here,” Marleen Scholze, a counselor at Pittsburgh Mercy said. “The City of Pittsburgh paramedics really did a good job. They made a nice space for us to … come together and have a great garden.”
“Just to be a part of the community, to help out, to be here with them and help them,” Elwood said. “Whatever we can do to help them … that’s our goal.”