Growing COVID-19 Cases Forces SF Firefighters to Work Overtime

A increasing coronavirus outbreak astatine San Francisco occurrence stations crossed the metropolis is forcing crews to enactment mandatory overtime successful bid to screen each the shifts.

The outbreak is concerning for galore people, but Firefighters Union Local 798 said they volition proceed to support the metropolis safe.

More than 40 firefighters person either tested affirmative for COVID-19, oregon person had to quarantine owed to exposure.

Then, the main announced she tested affirmative and a fig of affirmative cases person swelled.

“About 90 to 100,” said Danny Garcia of the San Francisco Fire Department. “It’s fluid due to the fact that immoderate radical are going off, immoderate radical are coming back, and truthful on.”

NBC Bay Area learned that successful the days earlier investigating positive, Chief Jeanine Nicholson had visited occurrence stations during Christmas week, arsenic is customary to boost morale. She aboriginal tested positive.

There is nary impervious that the 2 events are connected, but the outbreak means much enactment for firefighters who trial negative.

“It means radical get mandatory overtime and person to enactment astatine enactment longer to capable the spots vacated by those that are investigating positive,” said Garcia.

The firefighters national says it worries astir fatigue. But vows crews stay acceptable to support the city. 

“The metropolis and region volition proceed to service the radical to the champion of our quality arsenic always,” said Garcia. “We marque it work. That’s what nationalist information is each about.”

But immoderate San franciscans are concerned.

“Oh yeah. I worry, yeah,” said Sylvia Hernandez of San Francisco. “Especially for the children and the elder people.”

NBC Bay Area reached retired to the occurrence main and the city’s quality resources department, but person not heard back. 

The occurrence national says crews deterioration protective instrumentality during astir calls, and they effort to support occurrence stations sanitized.

As they present effort to combat the pandemic wrong their ranks.