CLAYTON – The Clayton community is rallying around the Clayton Fire Department and their families. Out of 41 full-time fire personnel, a total of 17 firefighters have now tested positive for COVID-19. At last report, four firefighters and the spouse of a firefighter are currently hospitalized.
Fire Chief Lee Barbee shared a message to update the public over-the-weekend.
Clayton firefighters and their families need your prayers and support.
Six months into the pandemic and COVID-19 finally came knocking at our fire house door. About two weeks ago, a firefighter didn’t feel well and let us know immediately. We had daily been disinfecting the station and equipment, but social distancing isn’t always easy to do when responding to emergencies or living together under one roof. Many don’t realize our firefighters respond to more than just fires, in fact, they respond mostly to medical calls and car accidents, and that includes going into homes and coming into close contact with patients who may have COVID-19. Health officials haven’t been able to help us trace exactly how our first firefighters were infected, but as of this morning, 17 Clayton firefighters have tested positive and three of them are now in the hospital.
And that’s why we need your thoughts and prayers more than ever. Firefighters are family and they also consider the community their family. We can’t name the employees at this time, but we can tell you their loved ones are worried and hurting. Right now, the families haven’t asked for anything specifically – only to know their community is behind them and holding them up their prayers.
The firefighters who remain working are hurting too…they’re covering for their fire brothers and sisters, gladly filling in shifts, and they haven’t missed a single beat in responding to calls. But the normal comradery enjoyed in this high-risk, stress-filled occupation has now turned to isolation. They don’t eat at the table together anymore – they eat alone. The bunk rooms they share have now been moved and only one person sleeps in a room. That means some sleeping in the training room or the small gym room. They do a full disinfection of the station on each shift change. The updates from the outgoing shift to the firefighters coming on duty are now done by telephone, not in person – in fact, those going home walk out one door and those coming on shift go out another, so they can’t do their routine in-person debrief after their 24 or 36-hour shifts. They wear N95 masks at all times in the firehouse, unless they’re in a room by themselves. Those who tested positive but are displaying no systems are having to remain home in quarantine…and that eats them up, they want to be back on the job. And some have commented that they sense a subtle change in the way the public is reacting to them when they see them out in uniform…it’s not intentional and it’s understood in this time of uncertainty.
We aren’t saying this to garner sympathy or to bring unwanted attention to our fire families, but simply for the public we serve to know – we’re taking all the necessary precautions to prevent further spread, to stay healthy and to remain ready to respond when you need us most.
One of our firefighters closes out every email this way: ““Providing Prompt Professional Services with Pride! Everyone Goes Home!” Thank you, Clayton, for your continued support in that mission. We’re hopeful for the day when ALL of our firefighters can come back home…to the firehouse.
The Town of Clayton said the first sick firefighter led to 4 others on the same shift testing positive and then required testing of all three shifts revealed the other cases.
The four firefighters and the spouse of a firefighter are all on the same COVID floor at Johnston Health in Smithfield.
Officials ask the public not to drop off items at the Clayton fire stations. Many people want to help but the department needs to be vigilant and not expose the public, firefighters or their families any more than necessary.
The Clayton Firefighter’s Association Inc. is coordinating with the families on their needs. Firemen and their families say they have already been lifted up by messages of support and encouragement.
