SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Fire season is here and Cal Fire is ready to respond, but the coronavirus pandemic has changed where firefighters go when they are not battling wildfires flames.
Cal Fire tweeted a video over the weekend of what base camp — where firefighters rest, eat and plan during large fire events — is like during a COVID-19. Gone are the buffet style dinners. Now, there are social distancing measures and mask requirements, everyone’s temperature is checked daily and hand washing stations are readily available.
Now, with the help of California Medical Assistance Team [CAL-MAT], Cal Fire is making sure its firefighters are as safe as the people and homes they work to protect.
Clayton Boyer, senior emergency services coordinator/logistics officer for Cal Fire, said in the video if one firefighter is diagnosed with COVID-19, then “it could critically shut down all operations immediately and it would leave, not just us as first responders in a very precarious position, it would leave the public in a very dangerous position because you have to figure out what personnel you’re going to get now to come replace these teams and be able to fight the fire.”
Isolation tents are available at base camps in the event a firefighters contracts coronavirus.
CORONAVIRUS CONTEXT
According to the CDC, coronavirus (COVID-19) is a family of viruses that is spreadable from person to person. If someone is sick with coronavirus, the symptoms they may show include mild to severe respiratory illness, cough, and difficulty breathing.
Currently, there is no vaccine. The CDC suggests the following precautions, along with any other respiratory illness:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.
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