Dozens of Fire Dept. Employees Quarantined After 2 Test Positive For COVID-19

Fire Chief Darren Rosario. HCFD photo.

Multiple people associated with the Hawai‘i Fire Department (HFD) have tested positive for the coronavirus.

HFD reported Sunday that one of its active-duty employees and a non-HFD employee participating in EMT training with the department had tested positive for COVID-19. Both personnel were notified that they were identified as close contacts to a positive case while off-duty, Fire Chief Darren Rosario said in a statement. Both personnel were then tested and received their positive test results. These cases are not related.

A total of 30 personnel from Hilo, Puna, and Kona stations are currently quarantined due to work-related contact with these individuals. In addition, another five department employees are in DOH-monitored quarantine due to non-work-related exposure. All personnel are being monitored by the Department of Health and the department’s internal COVID-19 tracing team, Rosario said. All personnel, inclusive of the two positive cases are asymptomatic.

There are currently there are no breaks in service to the public. Battalion Chiefs are reassigning on-duty personnel or recalling off-duty personnel to cover shortages.