LOUISVILLE, Ky. — While most people are staying indoors and working from home, first responders don't have that opportunity despite growing concerns about the spread of COVID-19.
"Of course while we're dealing with the coronavirus, they're still going to be fires," Major Bobby Cooper with Louisville Division of Fire said. "There's still going to be car wrecks. Unfortunately, there's still going to be some criminal activity. So we want to make sure our personnel levels are there to protect the public."
While Cooper assures citizens in the Louisville Metro area that all essential services will not be affected, there are some changes that are being made to help protect both the first responders in the field as well as the community they serve.
Cooper said the different public safety organizations have joined together and created an incident management team, which includes a joint information center. This allows fire, police and EMS and other parties to share information and practices while also getting information out in a clear and streamlined process.
According to Cooper, extra precautions are also being taken when it comes to the first responders themselves. While Cooper said it has been standard for fire and police personnel to be monitored for their health and wellness when they're on the job, they are now having their temperatures taken several times each day and being checked for symptoms. Aside from being encouraged to follow health guidelines of hand washing and social distancing when possible, personnel have also been given personal protective equipment like masks and sometimes goggles and gowns, according to Cooper.
Cooper said the different organizations also have contingency plans in place if staffing were to drop due to sickness.
As for the community, Cooper said the noticeable changes will be on a much smaller scale. The departments are cutting down on several programs at this time, including outreach programs for children and the fire department's door-to-door smoke detector program, though Cooper said people in need of a smoke detector can still call 311 and they will be helped.
"We're limiting our contact with the public as much as we can when it's not absolutely necessary," he said. "We are essential services and so we want to make sure we remain available for that."
First responders may also try to limit the number of personnel making direct contact with people when possible and may also ask patients to wear masks or gowns. MetroSafe has also been asking callers about possible symptoms or exposure to COVID-19 so they can alert the first responders of any extra precautions they may need to take for a certain run.
We understand that we're exposed to hazardous environments every day," Cooper said. "We also understand that this is a little bit different and we're trying to take those necessary precautions so that not only are we protecting ourselves but most importantly that we're protecting our community."
Cooper said first responders are also urging the public to do their part by following health guidelines, practicing social distancing and staying indoors when possible.
Anyone with questions can contact the COVID-19 hotline at 800-722-5725.
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