Fire Department, COVID-19 Update

Press release from the City of Attleboro:

Posted on: October 2, 2020

Mayor Paul Heroux and Chief Scott LaChance are happy to report that after extensive testing of Attleboro Fire Department staff, as of 5:30 PM on Friday, there are 84 negative cases, 12 positive cases, and 6 pending cases. The pending have not been at work during this time. We expect to have their results in a day or so.

The deputy fire chief who was in the hospital is doing well, has been released and is back home. All other COVID+ cases are doing well and should be back to work very soon.

“I am pleased that the Fire Chief took action to minimize the spread of this virus. Back in March, the first meeting I held with fire, police, water, wastewater, I asked each of the departments to come up with a plan for how they would continue to function if 50% of their staff contracted this virus. Plans have been in place for each of those departments since.” said Mayor Heroux. “It was probably inevitable that our fire department was going to have an outbreak at some point. Attleboro Firefighters transported about 400 COVID+ patients in ambulances since March. This outbreak could have been much worse.”

Fire Chief Scott LaChance said “I am optimistic that we have contained the situation and that we will have follow up testing to ensure that the firefighters are safe. There has been no reduction in service thanks to the dedication of the firefighters.”

This press release was produced by the City of Attleboro. The views expressed here are the author’s own.