Around 60 Jacksonville firefighters home from work because of COVID-19 concerns

Jacksonville, Fla. — About 60 firefighters with the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department cannot work right now.

They either have COVID-19 or may have been exposed.

That’s according to Randy Wyse the President of the Jacksonville Association of Firefighters.

It comes after Action News Jax confirmed a firefighter at station 21 tested positive for COVID-19 Wednesday.

Wyse says fire stations in Arlington and northwest Jacksonville also have firefighters sidelined due to the pandemic.

Action News Jax is working to learn the other fire stations are impacted.

Fire Chief Powers told Action News Jax in May about the process of protecting firefighters and preventing the spread.

“Out of an abundance of caution to protect the men and women they work within the fire station and to protect the public that we respond to, we pull them out. Put them in self-quarantine for that 14 days.” Chief Powers said.

JFRD says at least 25 firefighters have tested positive throughout the coronavirus pandemic crisis.

Action News Jax is working to find out how JFRD plans to fill the need to make sure there isn’t a delay in response times.

Action News Jax reached out to the city, but since it was after business hours, we have not received a response at this time.

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