Fremont Paramedics To Staff Hospitals

FREMONT, CA — Fremont firefighters are frequently sent to other parts of the state to battle wildfires as part of California's mutual aid network.

Now the coronavirus pandemic has triggered another type of mutual aid — the city is sending four fire paramedics to Bakersfield to help staff hospitals there.

The firefighters are part of a California Office of Emergency Services effort to staff medical centers and hospitals during a statewide COVID-19 surge, according to a social media post by the Fremont Fire Department.

There were 52,636 new coronavirus cases and 695 deaths statewide reported on Saturday and the Bay Area and three other regions around the state remain under a stay-at-home order due to low ICU capacity.

— Patch editor Bea Karnes and Bay City News contributed to this story