By Amelia Tarallo
Hometown Weekly Staff
The state of many Massachusetts towns has changed since mid-March, when coronavirus closures and preventative guidelines took over.
No gatherings of more than ten people. No eating at restaurants. No going to school or work. The list seems to go on and on, and as it has altered everyday life, it has also changed how first responders conduct their jobs.
Members of the Walpole Fire Department have changed how they handle everyday work in order to ensure everyone’s safety. “We are conducting employee screenings three times a shift, including taking temperatures and asking detailed health and exposure questions. The fire station, along with all town buildings, is closed to the public. Firefighters are required to wear masks while on duty. Social distancing is being adhered to while in the station,” says Deputy Fire Chief Paul Barry. Other precautions include temporarily opening Station 2 in East Walpole to separate on-duty staff, along with wearing proper personal protective equipment to all calls.
The alterations to their work routine means that there have been a few changes to how the Fire Department responds to calls. “When calling 911, we ask them to answer all the dispatcher's questions truthfully. We will respond regardless of the caller's answers, but the more information we have, the safer we all can be. If medically possible, we ask the public to additionally wear facial coverings when we respond. As always, we request that all members of our community cover their face and follow social distancing guidelines when in public,” Barry adds.
While there have been concerns of first responders working without proper PPE, the Walpole Fire Department has a safe supply. “At the moment, we have a stable amount of PPE. The public, town departments, and officials have done a great job supplementing our supply of PPE, and we have been exploring multiple options for obtaining the equipment. We are concerned with being able to continue to replenish our stock. N95 masks are of great concern,” says Barry.
Firefighters know that there is often an unseen problem that can change how they respond to a situation. Right now, the invisible obstacle is COVID-19. “We are used to dealing with challenging situations, but the most difficult part of the COVID-19 crisis has been our concern about spreading the virus to our family members,” noted Barry.
As the situation is ever-changing, the Walpole Fire Department is keeping updated and adjusting accordingly to ensure the safety of both the community and themselves. “They have done a phenomenal job stepping up to each challenging task and protecting our community,” says Barry. As the situation continues, the community can expect that the Walpole Fire Department will strive to keep everyone - and themselves - safe.
