MONTVILLE, Conn. — An outbreak of COVID is threatening the availability of emergency services in the town of Montville. Montville has four fire companies. The mayor says a volunteer firefighter at the Oakdale Firehouse started the spread. In an email to town departments, Montville Mayor Ron McDaniel said quote, “a volunteer FF became COVID positive and has spread it through the fire service.” Mayor McDaniel told FOX61, "Our staff is limited. I don’t have the availability to call other people in in case there was an all hands-on deck type of emergency."
Four Montville firefighters have now tested positive with about half a dozen more quarantined. "We have sent 6 or 7 people to be tested and we have not received their results back yet," said Gary Murphy, the President of the Oakdale Fire Company. Just days ago, Gary lost his own brother to COVID. He said, "I’m very concerned about their safety every day. But this just heightens it a little bit more."
Montville, in coordination with the Uncas Health District, is engaged in aggressive contact tracing of the outbreak. Patrick McCormack, the Director of the Uncas Health District said, "Any discussion around contact tracing is what’s the definition of a close contact? Who worked together? When did they work together? What was the date of collection for their test? Was anybody symptomatic? So, we have a process that we do with anyone who calls us."
Montville has both paid and volunteer firefighters. And while they have a primary station assignment, the firefighters do move from station to station and double as EMT's. "He was on some calls. He was involved with other firefighters. They mix and mingle all the time," said Murphy.
Both the Mayor and fire department leaders are united in their message to the community that mutual aid help from surrounding towns is in place and won’t drastically affect emergency calls for service. Murphy said, "Somebody will respond. It could be a short delay because they might have to come from another district." Mayor McDaniel said, "If there is a need do not hesitate to call 911, we will get there."
FOX61 has also learned that the fire marshal’s office was exposed along with the town finance department. One person within the finance department has also tested positive.