Oklahoma City Fire Department officials say as of Thursday morning, 94 firefighters are being quarantined after 10 tested positive for COVID-19.
Oklahoma City Fire Department officials say so far no personnel have been hospitalized from COVID-19. By Monday, at least 46 firefighters are expected to be released from quarantine.
The department created an emergency plan to address staffing needs during the coronavirus pandemic. The plan has three tiered stages. The department is currently operating in the final stage called “Level Red,” which is triggered when 50 firefighters across the department are in quarantine or 10 firefighters test positive.
The OKC Fire Departments Battalion Chief Benny Fulkerson says the department is finding ways to reduce further exposure by sanitizing equipment, not sending firefighters to other stations and being cautious during shift changes.
"What we're doing to make sure that that's as safe as possible is we're making sure that we are social distancing, wearing our masks, doing a quick information exchange, and then the shift that’s going off needs to go ahead and go and leave the station at that point and go on home," Fulkerson said.
