coronavirus in connecticut

First Responders Battle COVID-19 Amid Latest Wave

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Multiple cities and towns have first responders that are out due to COVID-19, with other staff covering the open shifts just as they’ve done throughout the pandemic.

It’s an ongoing issue, but they are assuring the public that they’ll be there when they’re called.

“Right now, our staffing is down, but it’s not down to the point where it affects services,” said West Haven Fire Department Chief James O’Brien. “(If) our numbers go higher, we’re still going to be able to provide good public safety and response to calls.”

That’s the good news from the chief who said this has been a long and challenging public health crisis.

“I say from last March to now, I think every fire department, every ambulance corps, any public safety agency can say their staff has been phenomenal,” O’Brien said.  

In Branford, Fire Chief Tom Mahoney said the department weathered the first two years in great shape, but a COVID-19 wave recently swept through the staff.

“We have been able to manage through it without any decrease in service,” Mahoney said in a statement to NBC Connecticut. “Those who were first out are already back and we’ve had no new cases the last two days, so we feel we are through the worst.” 

Fire departments around the area are dealing with similar staffing impacts. In New Haven, 14% of firefighters, about 40 people, are out with the virus or are awaiting test results.

“As far as the 14% goes, it’s some the highest numbers that we’ve seen, but we aren’t at any operational changes by any stretch of the imagination,” said Assistant Fire Chief Justin McCarthy.  

There are always 72 firefighters on duty around the clock in the city. McCarthy said the department has masking requirements, temperature checks and other protocols in place to try and keep firefighters safe.

“We have electrostatic sprayers with disinfectant that get used after every call, so there’s a lot of failsafes, a lot of checks, a lot of monitoring that goes on,” McCarthy said.

The same types of rules are in place in West Haven, said O’Brien, where, regardless of the pandemic, there are always 25 firefighters on duty.

“Our job is to keep our personnel safe so they can respond and keep them safe so they can go home to their families

O’Brien said they work closely with all of the surrounding cities and towns in the New Haven area in COVID-19 response plans. One includes mutual aid between municipalities, but they’re not at that stage.

Police departments are also evaluating staffing levels. Mayor Justin Elicker said there’s a concern about impacts to staff in the 911 call center, fire department and police department.

“It is something we’re keeping an eye on,” said Interim Police Chief Renee Dominguez, who said the department has 8% of staff impacted by COVID-19.

They’ve put protocols from 2020 back into place to help reduce contact between officers. Dominguez said they’re considering new routines for responding on scene.

“An officer being there but, on the phone, instead of having that face-to-face contact. That is not something that we’ve implemented just yet,” she said.

East Haven police say they have put new procedures in place, like asking people to use online reporting at www.easthavenpolice.com for low priority incidents, and those that only need documentation. That helps the department prioritize urgent face-to-face cases, like domestic violence incidents.

Officials say they’re concerned about those cases as more people are spending time at home. They say if anyone needs help in a domestic violence situation, texting 911 is always an option.

In West Haven, COVID-19 calls “are through the roof” this week, according to O’Brien. He said the virus causes is also causing a domino effect among ill first responders, right down to ambulance drivers needed to transport patients from their calls.

He reiterates that people should get vaccinated so covid cases are less severe and there would be fewer hospitalizations.

“This uptick is complacency,” O’Brien said. “Either some people don’t trust the vaccine at all, or some of us trust it so much we let our guard down.”

He hopes this latest spike helps everyone reevaluate their own personal habits as the new year approaches.

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