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COURIER LIFE, MARCH 20-26, 2020 23
Unions demand
virus testing for
fi rst responders She has a name.
Unions representing New York’s Bravest called for COVID-19
testing on the city’s fi rst responders. Photo by Ben Verde
BY BEN VERDE
The unions representing
New York City’s
fi refi ghters are calling
on the city to administer
tests to its fi rst responders,
as the number
of civil service members
testing positive for coronavirus
grows.
Two members of New
York’s Bravest, as well
as one EMT, have tested
positive in Brooklyn,
while at least 100 other
fi refi ghters remain under
quarantine citywide.
Union leaders say
their members need to
be tested to prevent community
spread, which
could lead to further
public safety risks.
“If the fi re department
goes down, that
puts lives in danger in
numerous other ways,”
said Gerard Fitzgerald,
president of the Uniformed
Firefi ghters
Association at a press
conference on Monday.
“If we start losing fi rehouses
because of the
quarantine, if we get
too many members that
are exposed to the disease,
that could be catastrophic.”
Fitzgerald argued
that all fi rst responders
should be tested by the
city, so they know right
away who needs to be
quarantined.
“All fi rst responders
should get the test,” he
said. “We’re the ones on
the front lines, we need
to keep ourselves safe so
that we can be there for
the public.”
In Brooklyn, 35 fi refi
ghters are under quarantine
after working
alongside a smoke-eater
who tested positive, but
not one of those fi refi
ghters has received a
test because they are
not showing symptoms.
Union offi cials say those
fi refi ghters should receive
tests because they
still could be infected.
“The biggest thing
we can do is limit the
cross-contamination
of each other and focus
on the job which is at
hand,” said Jake LeMonda,
president of the
Uniformed Fire Offi cers
Association.
Due to the scarcity
of COVID-19 test kits,
tests are being limited
to those who are particularly
at risk and are exhibiting
symptoms.
“We have to focus on
the folks who have the
clearer symptoms and
the folks who are in the
greatest danger and the
folks who have a nexus
to travel or an existing
positive case,” Mayor
Bill de Blasio said on
March 12, further noting
that the city wants
to do wide-scale testing
but is unable to without
help from the federal
government.
Along with fi refi ghters
and EMTs, police
personnel have tested
positive for the virus as
well, including NYPD
Transit Chief Ed Delatorre.
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