Fire Department Sanitizes All Stations After COVID-19 Outbreak

ABILENE, TX – After 41 firefighters tested positive for COVID-19, the Abilene Fire Department spent Friday sterilizing gear and rigs. The positive cases account for nearly 20 percent of the fire department.

“If our personnel are healthy, then it just reassures the citizens as we’re responding out to their emergencies that we are not bringing a positive person — someone that has a positive test — into their environment to where they could possibly pick up the virus,” said Deputy Fire Chief Michael Burden.

According to KTXS, all eight fire stations were sanitized last weekend. The stations were sprayed with a contact killer that can remain on a surface up to 90 days.

On Friday, MetroCare volunteered to sanitize the equipment and rigs in an effort to prevent more cases of COVID-19.

The entire sanitation process takes approximately 45 minutes per rig. Interior cabins are cleaned with a fogger machine that kills 99.9 percent of bacteria.

Deputy Fire Chief Michael Burden said the second round of sterilizing was an extra precaution to keep everyone safe.

“The more steps that we can take to prevent and get our personnel back at work, keep them healthy — it’s gonna be crucial moving forward over the next 4 to 6 weeks,” said Burden.

According to Burden, several firefighters are expected to return to work on Tuesday after previously testing positive for the virus.