Six members of fire department under quarantine

LACONIA — A member of the fire department who had flu-like symptoms is awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test and is under quarantine along with five other firefighters who came into contact with him, Fire Chief Kirk Beattie said Friday.

Beattie said the hope is the test will come back negative and all six will quickly return to duty. Previously, two firefighters were under quarantine for a time after coming into contact with a person who was tested for the disease. That test came back negative.

Beattie said firefighters are taking all precautions to avoid catching the virus.

On every medical response, firefighters put on a mask and goggles and stay back at least 6 feet from the patient, so they can do a quick evaluation to see the nature of the call and whether they they should put on full protective equipment, including gowns and face shields.

The decision whether to transport someone to the hospital depends on the severity of the symptoms.

Indications for such a transport could be severe difficulty breathing, chest pain and a fever the patient hasn’t been able to bring under control. Firefighters will also consult with a physician in some cases.

After bringing the patient to the emergency department, the firefighters decontaminate the ambulance at the hospital and throw out personal protection equipment intended for one-time use.

Beattie said the fire department has transported more than two dozen people to the hospital with symptoms consistent with a COVID-19 infection.

Working closely with people potentially infected with COVID-19 can be difficult on emergency response personnel.

“It is tough on them,” Beattie said. “The hardest part with this whole thing is the unknown. The fear of thinking, ‘Am I going to unknowingly come into contact with somebody who has this and bring it home to my family.’

“That’s the biggest concern. It can be nerve-racking.”

On Friday, workers with SERVPRO of The Lakes Region were doing a top-to-bottom cleaning of the main fire station in Laconia along with the fire vehicles.

The company donated its services. Joyce Janitorial has also been helping with deep cleaning.

Beattie said firefighters keep the station clean on a routine basis, but have been stepping this up during the pandemic.

“The crews on duty at both stations are disinfecting the entire station every day,” he said. “Apparatus is cleaned every day. All hard surfaces get cleaned every day.

“But when these companies come in, the job they're doing is better than what we can do.”

Servpro Operations Manager James McGee said his workers fog with a hospital-grade disinfectant.

“The product is extremely safe,” he said. “The cleaner will get onto different materials, fabrics, carpeting, walls.”

He said his company is doing a lot of commercial and industrial offices and plants, including places where people may have had flu-like symptoms.

His company disinfected the state Capitol.

“First you go through and wash a lot of the major high touch areas, knobs, flat surfaces, keyboards, phones,” he said. “Then we fog every room.

“Our guys get suited up in personal protection equipment and go to town cleaning and disinfecting.”