Fire department adjusting to existing with pandemic

Many businesses are cutting back or closing entirely during the coronavirus pandemic but one entity that cannot do that is the New Albany Fire Department. Even reducing the number of firefighters could imperil the preservation of life or protection of property in some cases.

They are having to find their way in dealing with this crisis.

“This is all new to us,” acting chief Mark Whiteside said. “We have fire codes but not flu codes.”

The New Albany department has had some guidance because its officers are well-connected to fire organizations throughout the state.

“We started putting plans in place with the first reports,” he said.

“The first week we only allowed personnel in the living quarters. Family members had to stay in the bay,” he said.

Then, in another step, they locked down the station, allowing absolutely no outsiders in.

“If it (the virus) hit inside the station it would be devastating for us,” Whiteside said. “If we have to quarantine an entire shift it pretty much shuts us down.”

New Albany Fire Department Station 2

The department has reduced some exposure outside the station through protocols relating to medical calls. They used to go to just about any and all calls, but no longer.

Concerning medical, “We only go out for trauma and cardiac in the city,” he said. “Then Curt (Union County Emergency Management Director Curt Clayton) put it out for the county as well.”

Also, if there is a medical call, instead of putting an entire fire crew in jeopardy, he just runs one person out of a squad. “If he needs help he will call for more help,” Whiteside said.

Arriving at a scene, the firefighters will stop at the door first to get information and only go inside a residence if they need to.

Calls overall are up over this time last year. There have been 47 more this year. Part has been false alarms at businesses,” he said.

False alarms put unnecessary strain on the firefighters, but they know it’s going to happen from time to time. The problem is when false alarms occur often without the problem being solved. “When you have 12 false alarms in eight months, then you could be fined,” he said.

“And what if an alarm takes us to a false call and we have a real call on other side of town?”

The fire department added American flags to the front of City Hall at the suggestion of Municipal Clerk Frankie Roberts

he asked. “It is part of our job to respond to all false calls as if it were the first time we have been called.”

For whatever reason, the number of medical calls has been reduced. “We’ve only run two medical calls since the 16^th of March,” he said. “We don’t have much in the city.”

Firefighters often go out to eat and patronizing local businesses is encouraged, but Whiteside they are being asked to use only curbside service like everyone else.

“If they have to go to the grocery store they have one person go in and rest stay outside,” he said.

If city firefighters do have to go to rescues out in the county, particularly auto rescues, “We go in full gear,” he said. “And at minimum, full mask, and if it feels more comfortable, breathing apparatus.”

“The county is doing this also,” he added.

Based on his conversations with state organizations and departments, Whiteside said, “Basically, everybody is doing pretty much the same thing.”

The department is still trying to abide by health department guidelines.

“We instituted a temperature check,” he said. “Each day each morning before they leave we do a temperature check.”

“Have we been untouched inside the department by fever? No,” he said. “We have had an incident or two, but they were not here when they had fever and they self-quarantined.”

“We make sure everything stays clean, stays disinfected, and we keep safe distance,” he said. Members are wearing facemasks when out in public.

“Some folks have run partial shifts but we are already at minimum,” he said. “If we lose a crew we may have to adjust hours. It’s now 24 on and 48 off.”

All these measures are geared toward the department mission.

“One thing we want to remember is when the tones go off, we are here to provide a service,” he said. “If we have a structure fire we are going full force. We will do our best to protect ourselves but that is our job. No matter what, we are coming.”

Changes caused by the coronavirus pandemic have strained that mission in a way.

“That’s one thing that has tested us, because we are used to coming whenever anybody calls,” he said. Today, that is no longer prudent.

“It’s hard to get used to,” he said. “It’s changing our way of life.”

Whiteside has praise for city leaders and their support of the department.

“In order to be a good leader you need to be looking for these changes and implement them,” he said, and that is what he has experienced.

But the fire department would be nothing without its firefighters.

“The fire department is a building. Members is what makes it up,” he said. “If you don’t have good people it’s a waste of equipment.”

The pandemic has caused the department to at least temporarily stop some outreach programs such as going to birthday parties, the Touch the Truck program,

“Sure, we are nervous when we go on a medical call. You think, ‘What if.’ If we go in a home are we a carrier? But when tones drop, we go,” he said.

“The minute this ends we will go right back to business, maybe with some new things,” he said. “When this is all over I think you will see us get together as a group and see what works.”

One change that has already occurred is to add a virus-related question to dispatching. The database has a place to ask if an address has a COVID-19 case, or even a suspicion of one.

“We ask the dispatcher to get as much information as possible,” he said. “If it is not documented, it never happened. We are taking extra time to make sure everything we do is documented.”

Whiteside is scheduled to run for the state fire association presidency in 2022. If he wins it will mean more work and meeting with officials lobbying for more money for firefighters. “If we do get funded it makes for a safer place to live,” he said.

“We’re taking care of business,” Whiteside said. “If you need us we’re ready. We don’t want to have to lock the door because we are quarantined. We try to leave the doors open to tell the public we are open for business. We want to get there quickly and safely, and make the difference in saving life and property.”