Davie firefighters are learning that what started out as mainly having to prepare for a sudden onset of pandemic conditions may be a new ongoing reality for the force.
The new recruits to the Davie Fire Rescue’s firefighting and EMT teams have had to endure a shortened, more intense training session and graduation without a formal ceremony. The best they could get was a coronavirus-era drive-by salute by family and friends. The trainees are also entering the field with new fears about helping people in emergencies who may have contracted COVID-19 and could infect the front line workers.
Jorge Gonzalez, assistant fire chief for Emergency Medical Services and Training, acknowledges that the trainees may be entering into permanent standards created by the outbreak. “We’re adjusting to a new normal,” he said.