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FWFD Quarantines Firefighters After COVID Exposure

FILE PHOTO: Rebecca Green
/
WBOI News

Two Fort Wayne firefighters have tested positive for COVID-19, requiring the quarantine of about 45 other firefighters to be placed in quarantine.

 

According to a release from city officials, the 45 firefighters had contact with the two positive firefighters over multiple shifts, and will remain in quarantine for two weeks from the date of exposure. 

 

Officials say public safety has not been compromised due to the exposure to the coronavirus.

 

There are about 350 firefighters on the city’s roster, and each day about 96 are on duty throughout the 18 stations, working 24-hour shifts.

 

For now, there will be approximately 15 fewer firefighters per day. But each station will still have at least one truck and four firefighters on duty each shift, officials said.

 
Overtime is available to fill the positions, but unless an entire station is closed due to the quarantine, that overtime is not mandatory, city officials said.

 

Rebecca manages the news at WBOI. She joined the staff in December 2017, and brought with her nearly two decades of experience in print journalism, including 15 years as an award-winning reporter for the Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne.