Every year, it is tradition for the Icelandic Coast Guard to give all its employees Easter eggs. This year, however, things proved to be a bit more complicated than last year due to precautionary measures taken due to the spread of the novel coronavirus. Therefore, the eggs this year were transported via bomb squad robo-cart. Police in the Westfjörds also assisted in the critical mission.
In this way, the Coast Guard made certain the strictest quarantine guidelines were observed, while also diversifying their operations. Near Reykjanesbæ, in the little town of Helguvík, the Coast Guard’s human resources division teamed up with the bomb squad to deliver Easter eggs to the ship, Týr. The eggs were handed through a window, and then, under strict airport surveillance, transported via the bomb squad’s robo-cart to the ship.
Meanwhile, in the Westfjörds, police brought the eggs on board the ship Þór, which was stranded in the depths of Ísafjörður Bay due to weather. They were transported west by airlift, and the police took them by boat on the last leg of the journey.
Svanhildur Sverrisdóttir, the human resources manager of the Coast Guard, told RÚV that it was fun to cheer up employees who have put in a lot of effort in recent weeks. “The Coast Guard is an important link in the civil protection chain and we are often needed when there is no one else to do the job,” she said. “Our staff has worked tremendously in recent weeks and months to make the Coast Guard available. Troubled weather, avalanches, earthquakes and now a pandemic have caused more stress, but our people are unique and are doing their job diligently and graciously.”
As ever, those looking for more information or advice should go to the Icelandic Government’s excellent COVID-19 help page.
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