2 Asheville firefighters in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19 – Citizen Times

ASHEVILLE Two Asheville firefighters tested positive for COVID-19 this past week, causing a 12-hour closure for cleaning of the fire stations and trucks, and sending into quarantinefirefighters who had come into close contact with those infected, according to fire officials.

While Asheville Fire Department spokeswoman Kelley Klope said measures are being taken to protect the roughly 280 firefighters from contracting the deadly disease, some firefighters say the department is not doing enough and is not following state guidelines to protectfirefighters, who are already risking their lives daily to protect the public.

Klope said the department has 246 front-line employees, and roughly 276 who interact with the public.

According to Klope, the two firefighters who tested positive for COVID-19 are in isolation.

From September 2017-September 2018 The Asheville Fire Department responded to 268 lockout calls.(Photo: Citizen Times file photo)

Their close contacts are following the recommendations of the CDC due to possible exposure per public health guidance, she said. Two fire stations were temporarily closed while an outside agency thoroughly cleaned the station and the fire trucks assigned.

The two firefighters had positive COVID-19 tests returned the morning of May 31. The firefighters worked at Station Nos. 3 and 6, both in West Asheville, according to Scott Mullins, president of the Asheville Fire Fighters Association and president of the Professional Firefighters and Paramedics of North Carolina.

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He said six firefighters were exposed to them all day long since they live and eat together like a family in the fire stations, and another eight firefighters were exposed at each shift change. In addition to two chiefs, that makes 16 employees who were potentially exposed to the virus.

Weve had to fill staffing holes since two of our members tested positive for COVID-19 and many others have been quarantined, Mullins said.

The Asheville Fire Department has been prepared for this possibility as our firefighters have a difficult job that requires them to place their lives on the line to protect the public, Klope said in response to questions about safety precautions.

The Asheville Fire Department flag and an American flag are carried out of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints following funeral services for Frank Wilford Morris, Jr. on Dec. 5, 2019. Morris was retired from the Asheville Fire Department after 25 years of service. (Photo: ANGELI WRIGHT/ASHEVILLE CITIZEN TIMES)

Preventative measures include wearing face masks, frequent sanitizing, cleaning at fire stations and routine symptom screening. AFD guidelines are aligned with CDC, NC Office of EMS, Buncombe County Public Health and City of Asheville policies, she said.

When asked what those preventative measures were and how often the fire stations were cleaned and how employees screened for symptoms, Klope answered, We are following recommendations from public health and CDC, but wouldnot elaborate.

According to the CDC website, some of these guidelines include:

The North Carolina Office of EMS has issued further coronavirus guidelines for EMS workers, including sending first responders only on priority calls involving cardiac or respiratory arrest, uncontrolled bleeding, rescue incidents, MVC (motor vehicle collisions), extended EMS response times, etc. This will limit PPE use given critical nationwide shortages.

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Mullins said the Asheville Fire Department has been responding to every call.

According to studies, firefighters are already at higher risk for cancer than the general population. Because of that, the AFD has taken steps to ensure each firefighter has two sets of turnout gear, so that they can be washed often, and to take extra cleaning steps after each fire call.

Mullins said firefighters clean the fire stations and trucks themselves, but they haven't been directed to do this more frequently during the pandemic than before.

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CDC COVID-19 safety guidelines for the general publicinclude wearing face masks, washing hands frequently and staying 6 feet from others.

Neither Klope nor the Buncombe County Health and Human Services would say how many members of the public might have come into contact with the infected firefighters, but they have conducted contact tracing.

As with all confirmed positive cases, our communicable disease nurses have contacted those with lab-confirmed COVID-19 to ensure that they are isolating appropriately, and CD staff have conducted contact tracing and notification of close contacts according to protocol, said Stacy Wood, Buncombe County Health spokeswoman.

Public health staff have contacted people identified as close contacts and Buncombe County Public Health continues to work with the Asheville Fire Department to provide guidance and support.

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Mullins said the pandemic is another example of why the lowest paid firefighters need a pay raise. The firefighters association is asking that they all be paid at least $15 an hour. Some make less than $12 an hour.

"This is a dangerous job. Its always been a dangerousjob,and this (coronavirus) just adds to it. Unfortunatelywe have guys who arent compensated adequately."

Karen Chvez is an award-winning outdoors and environment reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times and USA TODAY Network. She is theauthor of "Best Hikes with Dogs: North Carolina," andis a former National Park Service ranger.

Reach me:KChavez@CitizenTimes.com or on Twitter @KarenChavezACT

Read more outdoors news:www.citizen-times.com/outdoors

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2 Asheville firefighters in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19 - Citizen Times