Member of JFRD tests positive for coronavirus, shuts down station with ‘most personnel’

The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department is operating without one of its major stations today after someone tested positive for the coronavirus.

The City of Jacksonville says a total of 63 firefighters are in self-quarantine right now, but it won’t take any longer to respond to emergencies than it normally would. Of the 63 not working, 47 of them are from Fire Station 28 on Hogan Road where the person tested positive.

JFRD had extra units in service today, so they were moved into the area covered by Fire Station 28, according to the City.

“That just happens to be our biggest fire station with the most personnel in it,” says JFRD Chief Keith Powers. “It’s kind of a worst-case scenario, but we’re ready for it and we’ll work through it.”

He says Fire Station 28 had to be shut down for cleaning and everyone on all three shifts had to go home out of an abundance of caution.

Powers says the person who tested positive was pulled from the station Saturday, but the test results just came back positive. He says they’ll be reaching out to anyone in the community who possibly came in contact with the person who tested positive.

“We’ve already put the station down,” Powers says. “We’ll be back-filling it after we do a thorough cleaning of that fire station.”

The City says most firefighters have canceled upcoming vacation requests, so that helps with the daily staffing requirements since they can shift firefighters where they’re needed most. JFRD will use those men and women along with 35 firefighter recruits to fill any staffing vacancies at Fire Station 28.

The recruits just finished training, and the City says they were about to be assigned to regular duties starting Saturday.

“That’s taxing on the system, so we’re going to have to find creative ways to continue our staffing right now,” Powers says.