More than 60 firefighters with the Phoenix Fire Department have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Phoenix Fire is the nation’s fifth largest fire department with 60 fire stations serving Arizona’s largest city. As of July 7, the department had reported 62 positive COVID-19 cases among firefighters.
Another 100 members out of 1,585 are currently quarantined during the testing process, awaiting their results and seven civilian members have also tested positive.
“Right now our service delivery model is supporting the loss of the folks we have,” said Phoenix Fire Capt. Rob McDade. “So we’ve built everything out to a doomsday scenario of staffing, we’re doing critical staffing, folks are working extra shifts, it’s all hands on deck right now for the Phoenix Fire Department.”
Every third day, city firefighters report to duty for at least 24 hours and share a fire station with a variety of people while sleeping, eating and living together.