23 firefighters off work amid COVID-19 pandemic

Four firefighters with Windsor Fire and Rescue have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus and one is awaiting results.

According to Deputy Chief Andrea DeJong14 firefighters in all have been tested and nine were found to be negative. She said one of the firefighters with the virus has recovered and returned to work.

"They can't come into work while they're undergoing testing," said DeJong, who adds there are 23 members off work because they are either awaiting test results, have tested positive or have had to self isolate because they recently travelled. In total DeJong said 83 have been off work for one reason or another due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We maintain full staffing," said DeJong. "In order to run operations on a daily basis. So we are just reaching out to those people who are on off days and then asking them to come in for the overtime."

DeJong can't say how much this is impacting the budget at this point.

"We can't run with less than a fire station or less on a fire truck. The collective agreement that we have in place with the Windsor Professional Firefighters Association addresses that," said DeJong.

DeJong says the firefighters are getting a lot of support from the community.

"They're concerned, like they're putting their own health forward into the public to assist with the public," said DeJong.

"I've heard from firefighters who have said they've been out shopping ..and people are thanking them for their service ...and I think it really makes a really big difference to the morale," she said.