Six Firefighters Test Positive for COVID-19 at Leggett Cal Fire Station; Leggett and Laytonville Cal Fire Stations Closed for Next 72 Hours Over Fourth of July Weekend

Fire helmet red backgroundPress release from the County of Mendocino:

Mendocino County Health Officer Dr. Noemi Doohan has confirmed six new positive cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) at the Leggett [Cal] Fire Station in Mendocino County. In the last 48 hours, twelve firefighters have been tested, with six firefighters testing positive for COVID-19. Of the six positive cases, two are from Mendocino County and four are from out of County. All six positive cases are in stable condition on home isolation and their close contacts are being quarantined. Due to the prompt response and coordination between the County of Mendocino and CAL FIRE, it is believed that this outbreak has been fully contained.

Dr. Noemi Doohan, Health Officer commented, “We are very thankful for the strong, coordinated effort between the County of Mendocino and CAL FIRE to respond to the recent oubreak at the Leggett Fire Station. Chief Gunn’s leadership in this rapidly evolving situation has been invaluable, and there is a strong indication that the outbreak has been contained due to the swift response and cooperation between the two agencies. We will continue to be vigilant in monitoring this situation until we are positive the outbreak has been fully contained.”

In response to these events, the Leggett and Laytonville Fire Stations will be deep cleaned and closed for the next seventy-two (72) hours. The County and CAL FIRE will continue to work together to test CAL FIRE staff and perform contact tracing investigations.

Chief Executive Officer Carmel J. Angelo remarked on the quick response between the agencies, “Mendocino County and CAL FIRE have been strong partners for many years, particularly since the 2017 fires devastated our community. CAL FIRE is here to protect us, and we are here to protect them. In light of these closures, we all need to remember to be firewise this 4th of July.”

For more information please visit the County website at https://www.mendocinocounty.org/community/novel-coronavirus, or contact the COVID-19 call center at (707) 272-6052.

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Jade Tippett
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Jade Tippett
3 years ago

Kim,
The statement from the Mendocino County Executive was ambiguous as to what stations were actually affected and closed. These were the Leggett and Laytonville CalFire stations, not the Leggett Fire Department not the Laytonville Fire Department. Please edit your headline and statement to correctly distinguish which stations were impacted to avoid giving locals in both communities concern. They are primarily served by their local fire departments and secondarily by CalFire.

Trashman
Guest
Trashman
3 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

My son and the other firefighters in his lake county station got a nasty flu of some kind in December, maybe they should be checked for antibodies.

Dont go to Howard Memorial
Guest
Dont go to Howard Memorial
3 years ago
Reply to  Trashman

Corona was going around unchecked in Dec, Jan and Feb in Willits. There were no tests available but people were extremely suck coughing up and spitting up mucus. Howard Hospital did not want it in their facility and ushered people out of the Hospital ASAP to avoid catching a bad reputation. This is a fact.

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago

“While a fever is the most common symptom of coronavirus (Covid-19), about two-thirds (67.7%) of patients get a cough — specifically a dry cough, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

“A dry cough is what we call a non-productive cough, because no phlegm is brought up,” Javaid tells The Post. It is usually characterized by a scratchy throat.

Coronavirus or allergies? How to spot the difference
A wet cough, on the other hand, produces mucus and can feel like rattling in one’s chest. It can also cause a person to wheeze. This may be a symptom of something more benign, such as a cold or allergies. Bronchitis and pneumonia also often come with a wet cough, Javaid says.” https://nypost.com/2020/03/06/coronavirus-symptoms-whats-the-difference-between-a-dry-and-wet-cough/

Most likely not Covid-19 if it wasn’t a drycough.

Patriot in Willits
Guest
3 years ago

If what you are alleging is actually true, where is your evidence? If patients at Howard had Covid-19, there should be some evidence of community spread within the hospital’s staff and Willits itself. This could change tomorrow, but Willits has so far had no confirmed cases. Do you have some other grievance against the hospital?

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago
Reply to  Kym Kemp

I saw a group of 10 Cal fire guys standing in a close circle.. NO mask NO precautions. Not surprised to hear this.

Joan
Guest
Joan
3 years ago
Reply to  Jade Tippett

Jade Incorrect,

Cal fire has mutual aid agreements with both Leggett and Laytonville Volunteer Fire Departments. Both agreements provide Cal Fire response to all emergency incidents in the local jurisdictions. Cal Fire is first at scene to the vast majority of these calls due to the delay of volunteer personnel having to respond to their respective stations first. One can argue that Cal Fire is the primary service provider, though it isn’t their “mission”.

Delbert Chumley
Guest
Delbert Chumley
3 years ago
Reply to  Joan

CalFire Leggett responds only when the station is staffed. It is only staffed during fire season. For half the year there is no immediate CalFire support for leggett and piercy unless requested by those volunteer agencies.

Liz
Guest
Liz
3 years ago
Reply to  Jade Tippett

Jade, because of their medical training Calfire is called to all medical calls. Most of the time they are the first to respond and take over all the medical care the person needs. This news is scary because if a person needed medical care in the last two weeeks they have been exposed the virus.

John
Guest
John
3 years ago

Jade Incorrect,

Cal fire has mutual aid agreements with both Leggett and Laytonville Volunteer Fire Departments. Both agreements provide Cal Fire response to all emergency incidents in the local jurisdictions. Cal Fire is first at scene to the vast majority of these calls due to the delay of volunteer personnel having to respond to their respective stations first. One can argue that Cal Fire is the primary service provider, though it isn’t their “mission”.

Bonnie Cook
Guest
Bonnie Cook
3 years ago

Such a bummer. These folks go through some rigorous training every year to be at the ready for whatever comes their way. I know having done it. Such a setback and hope they all fare well and get back to duty soon. It also puts extended dispatch times in case of incidents whether it is fire or vehicle or whatever they respond to. Keep them in your thoughts.

Ridgy
Guest
Ridgy
3 years ago

A friend from CalFire said the response up there was botched due to the politics involved with wearing masks and not taking the virus seriously. Sounded like when a firefighter tested positive they were sent home and another called in. No testing for the others at the station and no isolation for those exposed to positive cases. Pretty sad response if that’s true.

Paul Turner
Guest
Paul Turner
3 years ago
Reply to  Ridgy

CalFire seems to have a slightly different policy than USFS. A USFS fire station recently had one of the crew get sick. The entire crew was benched and isolated for 72 hours while everyone got tested. On the third day a fire broke out, but the team remained benched. About two hours later they were cleared of having Covid 19 and responded to the fire. While this was happening another USFS fire station was covering their response area, so everyone was protected. USFS seems to be handling this pandemic with reasonable policies. CalFire probably is too.

While the masking effort remains controversial, it would be difficult and uncomfortable for a firefighter to wear one while hiking up a mountain and fighting a fire. Masking may very well work in enclosed spaces, but out in the open air, I doubt they are very helpful. Added to that the fact that the masks are somewhat flimsy, it’s likely a mask would get torn off while working on a fire.

The firefighters I talked to are indeed taking the virus seriously; they just are not letting it stop them from doing their job, which is to put out fires and keep all of us safe.

Liz
Guest
Liz
3 years ago
Reply to  Ridgy

Ridgy, the article says 12 people were tested at the CalFire in Leggett.

Guest
Guest
Guest
3 years ago

I hope they all recover well.

SARS-cov-2
Guest
SARS-cov-2
3 years ago

Great more cases …you can catch this virus not even know you have it And end up with abnormal scans Of your lungs, beware 😷 up.

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/06/covid-19-cruise-ship-studies-reflect-unique-disease-traits

At the end of observation, 33 (32%) of 104 patients were asymptomatic, 43 (41%) had mild illness, and 28 (27%) had severe disease. Serum lactate hydrogenase (LDH) levels were significantly elevated in the 10 patients who were asymptomatic on admission but later developed symptoms, compared with the 33 who had no symptoms throughout the observation period, 3 (7%) of whom required supplementary oxygen. High LDH levels indicate lung damage.

Seventeen (52%) of 33 patients who had no symptoms during the observation period had abnormal lung CT findings.

Mr and Mrs
Guest
3 years ago

Actually legget station was the most diligent in mask wearing.

tax payer
Guest
tax payer
3 years ago
Reply to  Mr and Mrs

it can easily transmit through your eyes and ear holes

Karl Verick
Guest
Karl Verick
3 years ago

What this shows is a serious heads up to CalFire and Local VFD. Imagine a large fire base set up to respond to a major fire. This could go through a fire base like, excuse the term, wildfire. there needs to be testing and social distancing protocols sufficient to prevent this kind of event.

Gimme My Dime
Guest
Gimme My Dime
3 years ago

Any recent mutual aid calls or training with the Leggett VFD?
Will they be tested, too, as a precaution?
Seen in grocery store not wearing mask and no dime. Sketchy.

Miss Purty
Guest
Miss Purty
3 years ago

Jeepers… I’m from the area and I understood what Jade was stating. I did have to re-read to clarify which stations, but any half wit should get it, not really the need to quote jurisdiction bylaws. The correction needed to be made which was the subject of his request (thank you Kim)

Gunnar
Guest
Gunnar
3 years ago
Reply to  Miss Purty

I too am from the area and yet Jade was the one who brought up the “jurisdictional bylaws” to begin with. Not really a need to quote primary or secondary service providers if your point was to correct what stations were affected in the article…any half wit should get it

sparky
Guest
sparky
3 years ago

Many CalFire employees stationed in Leggett and Laytonville are local and go home to their families at night after work.. WATCH OUT!!

Buckle Up
Guest
Buckle Up
3 years ago

Seems like Cal Fires policy of interviewing, hiring, and staffing out of area, out of unit firefighters with a shift change every 72 hrs in barracks style close quarters only to return to their out of area, out of unit homes, back and forth, hither and yon, ad infinitem with no quarantining is creating excessive exposure and possibly needs a little review and adjustment.
Strike teams add yet another facet.
Just keeping the gates closed to the public at the stations isn’t helping that much, apparently.
Cal Fire at the highest levels should be fine tuning their system to compensate for Covid19 risks to their personnel and associates. New risks should equal new protections quickly mandated.
I know, virtually impossible for such a deeply ingrained bureaucracy.
Just keeping the gates closed to the stations probably took an Act of God.
They should probably consider being a little more considerate towards all the volunteers as well. They have a tendency to treat them with spite and a great deal of indifference and will even turn on or away from each other due to a perceived danger. It ain’t pretty.
I hope they aren’t turning on or away from each other or anyone else over Covid19.

I hope they all stay safe including the inmates and the volunteers.

sparky
Guest
sparky
3 years ago

CalFire=BackFire

lol
Guest
lol
3 years ago

Conservatives should have no problem with this, since fire stations are socialist and the virus is a hoax.