The Bainbridge Island Fire Department has canceled all ride-alongs, station tours and community room use to curb the spread of COVID-19. The department has also closed facilities to walk-in assistance.
General assistance and information can still be obtained via the fire department’s main office line and website.
“We’re available for any questions that they may have,” said BIFD Chief Hank Teran.
“I need to stress the reason we’re doing this is we have to make sure our EMTs, our firefighters and our paramedics, are healthy and able to respond and we’re trying to make sure that we anticipate that if this is prolonged that our people are healthy and we can still provide the services we need for the community,” Teran said.
To that end, first responders are following new protocols to help protect themselves and patients from potential contact with the 2019 novel coronavirus, including the wearing of additional equipment.