Pirelli Motorsport F1 head Mario Isola is back to help his paramedics team after self-isolating upon returning from Australia due to COVID-19 fears.
The work of Isola outside F1 is well know after his employers, Pirelli, shared about his role as a coach and volunteer in his local area in Milan, where he has been undertaking community service with a paramedics team since his teen years.
Having traveled down to Melbourne for the F1 Australian GP, Isola returned home after it got cancelled and went under self-isolation due to the long travel. The Italian couldn’t help his paramedics team as Italy suffered hugely at the hands of COVID-19.
The country is still reeling with numerous infections and also deaths while under severe lockdown. With his isolation completed and also the work for Pirelli, Isola is back to helping his community despite his wife not wanting due to the health risk.
“As paramedics, we know we sometimes have to take risks,” said Isola in an interview to The Sun. “You could be faced with an aggressive person, you also take a risk when you drive an ambulance on an urgent mission.
“You know it is risky and you can have an accident. A few years ago I was in an accident in an ambulance and someone in another car was killed. Now, the problem is that every time the radio rings with a new mission, you are putting yourself in danger.
“You do it because you have to do it. I am having some discussions with my girlfriend, who is not very happy about it. Now, every time there is a risk, and that risk is not close to zero, it is something evident in many countries.”
Having returned to service, Isola stated that he heard the stories from his team, which saddened him, especially as there were many who could not see their loved ones as they died in the hospital and were buried later on without their immediate family.
“I have spoken to many of my colleagues, we are a community and we have a chat,” said Iosla. “We share what happens. What they say is the worst thing is that, while you normally find yourself in a very difficult situation, now the biggest impact on you is on the psychological side.
“The hardest part of the job now is that you cannot carry any relatives of the patient in the ambulance to hospital. Usually, you take anybody from the family who is available to come because it is important to have that support for them.
“But now, to avoid contact with any patient, it is forbidden to take anyone other than the ambulance team. Sometimes you have someone in a serious condition and we have to tell the relatives ‘sorry, you cannot come with us’.
“They realise that could be the last time they see their relatives alive and it is really hard on our people. We have to explain to them that we have to follow the procedures but it is really tough.” Apart from mental, there is also financial implications.
Isola has opened up www.croceviola.org where he is seeking help from anyone who can contribute to their team as they serve their community, with medical supplies and the essential needs of people who are unable to get for themselves.
Here’s news on Pirelli member returning home
Here’s how Ron Dennis is helping
Here’s what Mercedes has done under Project Pitlane
Here’s news on Ferrari helping Italian officials