In an effort to stay ahead of the curve during the COVID-19 crisis, the Santa Rosa Fire Department has set up a dedicated Pandemic Response Unit, and it’ll be made up of three two-person teams.
To keep the other firefighters in the department safe, the Pandemic Unit members will have their own sleeping quarters, and will have their own breathing and life support equipment not normally used by standard firefighters.
The new unit will be equipped to minimize contact with infected patients, and will be able to decontaminate themselves before leaving the scene. Dispatchers will be trained to ask specific questions of the person making the 911 call to determine whether to send one of the Pandemic Response Units, or a standard fire fighting team.
The Santa Rosa Fire Department Pandemic Response Unit is one of the first established in the state.
Jack Kulp and Carolyn McArdle talked about it on the air! Listen below...