Santa Rosa Fire Department creates pandemic response unit

SANTA ROSA, Calif. - When an emergency call comes in from someone complaining of flu-like symptoms from now on in Santa Rosa, a specialized vehicle will be dispatched.

It will carry an even more special team of firefighters: the Pandemic Response Unit (PRU). 

"The purpose of the PRU is to reduce the possibility of exposure and contamination of COVID-19, not only to the community but to our employees," said Santa Rosa Deputy Fire Chief Scott Westrope.

The unit consists of three two-person teams, one team per 48-hour shift. Each unit has a a firefighter who also is trained as a paramedic, and another trained as an emergency medical technician (EMT).

They will deal with possible COVID-19 related calls only. It is front line, heroic duty in frightening times. 

None of the unit wanted to speak publicly about it.

"I really applaud our employees who stepped up into this role. It was put out as a volunteer request. They have separate sleeping quarters. They have separate day quarters. They are totally separate from the normal fire stations. They just go to flu-related calls," said Westrope.

Those calls come in at an average of about 11 a day. But not all turn out to be COVID-19.

The trucks are loaded with high level protective gear and state-of-the-art decontamination equipment. 

The PRU team also has special protective gear.

"They have different gloves, different face masks. A full containment breathing apparatus face mask that you would see us going to a fire with. But instead of oxygen flowing into it, it has a high end P-100 cartridge that goes on the mask. Their face is completely protected at that point," said Westrope.

For a department noted for dealing with wildfires, the coronavirus presents a different challenge.

"We are looking at all sorts of different ways, thinking way outside the box, on how we can adapt to the pandemic and not only protect the community better, but also our personnel better," said Westrope.