The number of city of Spokane firefighters in quarantine continues to drop, but department leaders will remain vigilant and adhere to a requirement that employees wear masks around-the-clock.
Only five firefighters were in quarantine on Wednesday, a precipitous drop from 33 the department reported out of work on March 19, amounting to about 10% of the workforce.
Of the 16 firefighters tested for COVID-19, none have been positive, according to Deputy Fire Chief Jay Atwood.
The department saw an immediate reduction in the number of sidelined firefighters when it updated its quarantine policy in line with state Department of Health guidelines, which do not recommend quarantining a first responder who has only had contact with a person potentially infected with the disease.
The department now only necessitates a quarantine if the firefighter is symptomatic.