The Newport Beach Fire Department is feeling the effect of the coronavirus among its own ranks.
Ten firefighters and 11 first responders had tested positive for the virus, fire chief Jeff Boyles confirmed Friday.
Boyles said the virus apparently spread to their computers through the spread of the community and not while directly treating coronavirus patients. He said all fire and truck stations are still staffed, and cleanup protocols have been modified. Newport Beach Fire is not sending crews to wildfires outside of the county.
“We have been very vigilant when we make calls with what we know to be sick people, but people have lives outside of work,” Boyles told City Hall at his last meeting on July 14.
Another 30 firefighters and 21 first responders have been quarantined sometime in July, Boyles said Friday. As this weekend began, 11 lifeguards, four positive and seven quarantined, were out of service. Four firefighters, all recovering after testing positive, none were quarantined, were out of work.
“Fortunately, not all were turned off at the same time, so we were able to maintain our staffing levels at the fire stations, lifeguard towers and the junior lifeguard program,” Boyles said. “It was a balancing act over a small period of time to achieve that.”
Overall, Orange County reported more than 33,900 coronavirus cases and 560 related deaths as of Saturday, with 685 patients with COVID-19 at county hospitals.
The coronavirus among the county’s lifeguard ranks was a key part of Newport’s decision to make an unprecedented decision to nearby beaches on the fourth of july, historically the peak of summer for visitors. Before the holidays, two rescuers tested positive and more than 20 were quarantined.
Fire officials and first responders said they had enough staff for the big weekend, but a cautious City Council voted for the tough shutdown to prevent the remaining guards from having to do more with less.
Boyles said the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and county health officials say first responders can work until symptoms occur if they have been exposed, but Newport has been aggressive in tracking its contacts. and quarantine.
“Most of those who tested positive were already identified as exposed and quarantined when their test results tested positive,” Boyles said. “That tells us that theoretically we prevented them from working and causing an even bigger outbreak.”
The infected people come from a body of approximately 120 firefighters, 50 lifeguard reservists, 55 minor guards and 95 in lifeguard operations.
