21 East Greenwich Firefighters Test Positive for Coronavirus

EAST GREENWICH, RI—Twenty-one firefighters at the East Greenwich Fire Department have tested positive for COVID-19 as of Wednesday.

There are 34 firefighters that make up the East Greenwich Fire Department, according to the Greenwich firefighters' union IAFF Local 3328, which means 60% of the department has now tested positive.

As of Wednesday, most of the firefighters who tested positive were experiencing mild symptoms and a couple were experiencing moderate symptoms.

One of the two firehouses in East Greenwich was temporarily closed overnight on Tuesday in response to the surge in cases among firefighters and surrounding towns have been helping with coverage.

"Mutual aid from our neighboring communities is in place as a temporary & immediate response plan as we work through these unprecedented times while our members recover & remain in quarantine," said IAFF Local 3328 in a Twitter post on Wednesday.

The East Greenwich Town Council was scheduled to hold an emergency meeting Wednesday night at 7pm to discuss the high number of COVID-19 cases within the fire department.