We are still here for the community

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

During this pandemic we are still here for the community and other fire companies.  For several months on Saturdays, there has been a crew at the station, to handle single engine and medical assist calls in the district.  With the pandemic, this has morphed into members stepping up to man daily duty crews for 12 hours shifts to handle the single engine/medical assist response, to preclude members from possibly spreading the virus.

The duty crew members are checked for symptoms prior there shift, and are distancing themselves while manning the station.

The fire siren doesn’t seem to be going off as much.  If you noticed 54-5 responding but not hearing the fire siren blaring, it’s because of the dedication of the members sacrificing their time to getting the firetruck on the street quickly to get help to the community.  

For now if the siren goes off, it is for a multiple unit response ie accident, actual fire in the district or to respond with our neighboring companies for working alarms.

What the community can do to help.  Stay home, social distancing, keep yourself healthy.  If you have to call for an emergency, remember while the 911 call-taker is asking questions, they are calling the station and notifying the crew to respond.  You may also be asked questions about flu like symptoms, fever, breathing problems by the call-taker.  This is to ensure the safety of the crew.  The crew members may look different, they’ll be wearing gowns, face shields and face masks and there may only be two making contact with you. While the rest of the crew stands by outside at a distance, but ready to assist as needed.

This is our new normal for now and things are changing daily from CDC and DPH recommendations for the first responders.  

Together we will get through this!

 

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