Five Wake Forest firefighters test positive for COVID-19
Five firefighters at Wake Forest’s Fire Station No. 2 have now tested positive for COVID-19, the town reported Tuesday
All of the firefighters are self-isolating and are being monitored by health officials, according to a news release.
The town is continuing to test other firefighters across all three shifts that may have been exposed to the coronavirus.
“We are continuing to closely monitor conditions and perform contract tracing, so our situation remains fluid,” Fire Chief Ron Early said in the release. “We are in close contact with the Wake County Health Department to ensure we are doing all we can to implement control measures to prevent the spread of the virus.”
The first positive test at Fire Station No. 2, at 9925 Ligon Mill Road, was reported Saturday, and the station immediately was shut down.
The fire station has since reopened after the entire building, including all vehicles and equipment, was sanitized, the release stated.
The Wake Forest Fire Department is still fully operational and no fire services will be disrupted, it stated.
In August, 17 firefighters in Clayton tested positive for COVID-19. That outbreak was followed by the deaths of the department’s deputy chief of operations and training and a part-time firefighter’s wife, The News & Observer reported.
Since June 1, there have been 24 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Raleigh Fire Department, which has 620 employees, said Julia Milstread, public information officer for city of Raleigh.
Wake County had a total of 18,345 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 247 related deaths as of noon Tuesday, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services website.
This story was originally published October 6, 2020 at 12:44 PM.