More than 35 Lexington firefighters out due to COVID as cases surge in state
The Lexington Fire Department has five firefighters in isolation and 32 in quarantine this week due to exposure to the coronavirus, city officials said this week.
“It hasn’t impacted services,” said Public Safety Commissioner Ken Armstrong, who oversees police and fire. The city has been able to fill those open shifts. The fire department has more than 550 employees.
Between 10 to 12 employees are expected to be released from quarantine on Friday, Armstrong said during Mayor Linda Gorton’s Wednesday coronavirus update.
Since March, 38 fire employees have tested positive.
The Lexington fire department operates the city’s ambulances. Firefighters are also paramedics or emergency medical technicians. Firefighters spend time close to each other in fire stations, living and sleeping there during shifts.
Twenty-two police officers have tested positive for the coronavirus since March. Two are currently in isolation, city officials said. None are in quarantine.
Chief Administrative Officer Sally Hamilton said Wednesday the city has seen an uptick in the number of employees who have requested time off due to the coronavirus across city government. The city has more than 3,000 employees.
“Many haven’t tested positive themselves,” Hamilton said. Instead, many have had to quarantine because they were exposed to someone who was positive.
Many of the city’s employees are working from home. Hamilton said in the coming weeks, more employees will be working from home.
This story was originally published November 19, 2020 at 7:13 AM.
