More than 30 members of the Spokane Fire Department are in self-quarantine in an attempt to stop the spread of sickness amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The firefighters – representing about 10% of the department –were exposed to patients who had symptoms similar to COVID-19. As of Thursday morning, none of them had received a positive test for the novel coronavirus – though one firefighter is in the hospital. Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer said the department must take extreme precautions to prevent the spread of the illness. And the department is shifting some operations in partnership with a neighboring fire district to allow firefighters to isolate themselves from family members if they are concerned about spreading illness to their families. Firefighters who normally respond from Spokane Fire Department Station No. 6 on the West Plains have a new home at Spokane County Fire District 10 Station No. 10-1 as Station No. 6 is turned into a quarantine facility for Spokane firefighters.