NEW ORLEANS — It's 'Pride Week' in New Orleans and all across the city, people have been taking part in celebrations including Saturday's Pride Parade through the French Quarter.
One vehicle in that parade was a New Orleans EMS unit wrapped in rainbow flag. It's part of the city's effort to address challenges in the LGBTQ Community.
New Orleans Emergency Medical Services is taking new steps to show inclusion and make sure its first responders are prepared on the best way to approach them. It recently created a LGBTQ liaison officer title for one of its EMTs.
"We support them, we are here for them, and even a lot of us are part of the community," said TJ Boyd, the new EMS LGBTQ Liaison officer.
Boyd promotes equality and inclusion in the workplace by educating fellow first responders on LBGTQ related emergencies and the best way to respectfully care for them.
"How we should ask them certain medical questions that might need to be asked," he offered as an example.
He also wants people in the LBGTQ community to feel comfortable calling when they have an emergency, and even call him directly when they need to.
"We're trained to care for your injuries and this is just a side step of us being inclusive to provide more than just an ambulance ride," Boyd said.
This is one of several steps the City of New Orleans has taken to offer inclusion for these communities. Last year, the city created the LGBTQ Task Force to address challenges they face. As of this march, it is now part of the newly created Office of Human Rights and Equity which also addresses issues racial minorities face.
In 2017, the New Orleans Police Department appointed its own LGBTQ liaison officer. It came after the killings of transgender women Chyna Gibson and Ciara McElveen, though the department never confirmed they were targeted because of their sexuality.
New Orleans EMS also gave its employees the option to wear rainbow colored patches this June for pride month.