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Several San Diego Fire-Rescue Department units had to be shut down over the weekend due to widespread COVID-19 impacts on staffing.
The department reported in an email that as of early Sunday, 113 firefighters, 15 lifeguards and six civilians had to be in isolation because of COVID-19.
Without the personnel, the department closed several units Saturday – Squad 55, Engine 201, Engine 11, Engine 20, Engine 21, Engine 40 and the bomb team.
On Sunday, Squad 55, Engine 201, Engine 40 and the bomb team continued to be shut down.
Fire Chief Colin Stowell will address the staffing issues Monday afternoon, according to a release by SDFRD media services manager Monica Munoz.
Officials said that when facing a staffing shortage that can’t be eased by assigning overtime shifts, the department has protocols in place for temporary closures. They include:
- Mobile operations details – two-person crews that work in the Gaslamp Fridays and Saturdays; downtown stations can cover their duties.
- Squad 55 – two-person team that staffs 12-hour shifts from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., but can be covered by two nearby fire stations.
- Bomb team – two-person team assigned to Station 1 with a bomb apparatus. But the department always has bomb-trained personnel on duty whether they are on the crew or with an engine or truck company.
- Engine companies – four-person teams with a captain, engineer, firefighter and firefighter/paramedic. The department identified sites, like Station 20, that have other crews – for instance, a truck company – that can respond to emergencies. Stations 40, 11 and 21 also are such sites, referred to as “double houses.”
Other department operations, though impacted, did not have to be shut down.
“At this time, the lifeguard positions have been covered using lifeguards working overtime so there are no operational impacts to lifeguard facilities. The same goes for the dispatch center,” Munoz wrote.
She added that the “shutdowns may change day to day and there is specific criteria followed in determining which engine companies or units will be impacted” as the situation continues.
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