The ambulances at the West Metro Fire Department have been turned into isolation rooms on wheels. The countertops have been cleared, the EKG machines have been bagged, and the back of each ambulance has been sealed off from the cab. This is just part of the fire department’s plan to battle COVID-19.
Fire departments across the state, including Denver, Aurora, Arvada and Fort Lupton, changed the way they do business as the coronavirus spreads. The changes come after 13 Arvada firefighters returned to work Thursday after being in quarantine after potential exposure to the new virus.
All tested negative for COVID-19, Deanna Harrington, public information officer for the Arvada Fire Protection District, said.
Fire departments are screening for symptoms of COVID-19, and they are preparing firefighters and medical staff to enter homes where they may come into contact with a COVID-19 patient.