Five members of the Torrance Fire Department are self-quarantining at their homes after displaying symptoms that could indicate they were exposed to the novel coronavirus, city officials said Tuesday, March 24.
“We have not linked any of their symptoms to an emergency response,” said Carl Besanceney, an assistant fire chief who heads up the department’s Communication’s and Public Affairs Division.
The cases, Besanceney said, are suspected of involving community transmission.
The disclosure comes as fire departments countywide have revised their responses to 911 calls in an effort to prevent first responders from being exposed to potential carriers of the virus, he said.
That involves both dispatchers and paramedics collecting information on the patient and their symptoms before even arriving on the scene.