VIDEO: Richland’s Fire Department will be nearly at full staff within the week after firefighters were quarantined after a potential exposure to patients with coronavirus.
Four firefighters responded to a medical call, but didn’t think they were heading to a room with a person suffering from flu-like symptoms. They soon learned the person possibly could have COVID-19, said Fire Chief Tom Huntington.
While they quickly put on personal protective equipment, the short exposure was enough to put them at risk.
Now, about a week and a half later, the firefighters have remained healthy. But since Richland has just 55 firefighters, their absence has meant the loss of an entire shift of emergency responders.