Possible Coronavirus Exposure Leads Firefighters To Self-Isolate

IRVINE, CA—An engine crew Orange County Fire Authority firefighters have self-quarantined at their Irvine fire station after taking a suspected new coronavirus patient to the hospital Saturday evening, an OCFA spokeswoman said.

Four Orange County firefighters responded to a medical call on Saturday evening to find a patient suffering symptom of COVID-19, OCFA spokeswoman Colleen Windsor told Patch.

"That patient had recently traveled internationally," Windsor said.

Dispatchers, answering the 911 call, asked additional questions of the patient before the arrival of the firefighters, as is the new strategy for suspected cases of coronavirus.

Symptoms of that virus include mild to severe respiratory illness with fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, according to the Center for Disease Control.

It was not yet known if the medics wore additional protective masks or gear when caring for the patient and transporting him to the hospital, according to Windsor.

The firefighters, out of an abundance of caution, decided to self-isolate at the fire station, she said. There they will wait until the hospital was able to learn if he was infected with COVID-19.

Another truck company and battalion chief who work at the same fire station relocated to another station. They will continue to provide services to Irvine while the four are in self-isolation.

"We should hear back from the hospital regarding the patient's diagnosis on Monday," Windsor told Patch.

Orange County Fire Authority, along with the Orange County Healthcare Agency, is continuing to develop a strategy for handling COVID-19 patients and care.

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