North Carolina is the first state in the country to implement a statewide voluntary registry to help combat the spread of COVID-19 among first responders, according to Insurance Commissioner and Fire Marshal Mike Causey.
Causey’s office partnered with RTI International to create a survey on the Fire Marshal website to allow fire departments, emergency service workers, and other first responders to report positive COVID-19 cases and quarantines. The goal is to provide real-time data for state leaders to understand how the virus is affecting first responders and what resources are needed to keep them safe.
Current projections show increases of illness and death among first responders and members of the fire service due to the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses.
The International Association of Firefighters has created a nationwide COVID-19 tracking tool on its website, but the state registry is focused on the statewide needs of North Carolina’s first responders.