Luigi Imbrogno
Mask Fitter
Luigi Imbrogno is an unsung hero akin to Bond's Q who outfits our front-line superheroes with important equipment they need.
He is currently conducting N95 respirator mask fittings for health care workers using three types of masks at various Access Centres, hospitals, and community sites - an important part of keeping health care workers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He's also conducted fittings at Shared Health's Alternative Isolation Accommodations (AIA), a confidential location where staff provide care to individuals from the shelter population who need to self-isolate in a safe location.
Often, he arrives at a site before staff does, a fact that has made him a familiar face to many a security guard in the Winnipeg Health Region. To better accommodate the hectic and sometimes unpredictable schedules of the health workers he serves, he also often finds himself staying late to ensure front-line staff receive the support they require.
Prior to fitting masks, Luigi worked at Health Links-Info Santé, responding to peoples' questions about COVID, communicating test results, and referring members of the public for testing. In the process, he gained a great deal of public health knowledge which he has subsequently put to use in his private life, acting as a "go to" source of credible COVID-related information for family, friends and acquaintances.
Luigi's passion for public health has him planning for a Masters' program in Public Health, and he is currently working on his final term to complete a second undergraduate degree in Public Health with a focus on Health Promotion and Planning. Between his work and his studies, he's an exceptionally busy man; nevertheless, he's also set to work with the Canadian Red Cross to provide further support assisting in personal care homes on evenings and weekends to make sure that those who are most vulnerable can live a life full of safety and dignity.
Though his contributions to the fight against COVID have been substantial, Luigi is quick to direct praise to where he feels it's best placed: at the feet of Manitoba's front-line health care workers. "They are actually on the front lines, regularly providing care in close proximity to those with COVID-19, and I want to thank them for everything they're doing," he says. As for his efforts, Luigi sums up his motivation simply and succinctly: "Whatever I can do, I'm going to try to do."
