Local agencies are stepping up after several Albemarle firefighters contracted COVID-19.
“It’s just a close knit family, if one’s hurting or sick we take care of them and vice versa, they will take care of us,” Southside Volunteer Department Chief Jeff Craven said.
Craven posted on Facebook asking the community to pray for the Albemarle Fire Department.
Channel 9 learned that 10 of the department’s firefighters contracted COVID-19. Nine are still fighting the virus with two in the hospital.
“We’re all close knit, we work together, most of us work other jobs with them as well,” Craven said.
With more than a quarter of the city’s firefighters impacted by COVID-19, Channel 9 asked the City of Albemarle and the fire chief if the response to emergencies will be affected.
The city attorney told us that other local agencies are stepping in to help cover shifts and shortages in staffing so response times “should not be impacted.”