In conjunction with its primary function of battling blazes, the Mount Airy Fire Department logged fewer first responder calls during 2021 — not because the medical-related emergencies involved declined, but the usual suspect: COVID-19.
“Last year at this time we lost a whole entire shift for a two-week period,” Fire Chief Zane Poindexter said during a city council meeting last Thursday night when presenting an annual report of departmental activities.
Due to fire personnel being under coronavirus quarantine or actually having the disease, Poindexter said a temporary pausing of the first-responder program resulted at times last year.
But he emphasized in follow-up comments on Tuesday that this manpower issue did not compromise the department’s main mission of fire suppression, or prevent its personnel from answering “very urgent” medical calls.