PORTLAND, Ore. — As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in Oregon, fire departments in the Portland area are dealing with cases.
Portland Fire and Rescue (PF&R) has 74 firefighters quarantined right now, according to John Derr, the department's safety chief.
Since March, 21 firefighters have tested positive for the virus, he said. On Nov. 25, PF&R reported that eight firefighters had tested positive for COVID-19 from Nov. 17-25.
Part of the department protocol involves contact tracing and anyone who had close contact with the person who tested positive must also quarantine, Derr said.
There are around 670 firefighters in the department. Derr said they haven't experienced any response issues because they have crews on standby.
Derr said the department hasn't determined where the firefighters contracted COVID-19.
Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue has had six positive cases of COVID-19 since March, according to Kim Haughn, the department's public affairs officer. Five of the cases were firefighters and one was another staff member. Haughn said there are 450 firefighters in the department and 600 total staff members.
"The six cases have been sporadic throughout and kind of spaced out from each other," Haughn said. "There has not been any impact to our response. We immediately get relief personnel in."
Haughn added that close contacts of those who test positive also go into quarantine.
One of the department's six cases was linked to their family, and Haughn said it's unknown where the other five cases originated.