First responders granted high priority for COVID-19 testing ahead of wildfire season

The pandemic has created new challenges for Colorado firefighters this wildfire season. 

Poudre Fire Authority Fire Chief Tom DeMint said firefighters often finding themselves setting up camp as they battle a blaze for days. Sickness can spread easily in the camps.

“There a common term in the fire service called ‘camp crud,'” DeMint said.

The chief said it is common to see stomach bugs or the common cold spread through those camp sites. This year, it could be different. 

“Our fear is that without testing going into these fires, that that camp crud this year could be COVID,” said DeMint. 

“It could send a lot of people home from a fire that need to be  out in the lines,” added DeMint. 

But a move by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) could help DeMint’s firefighters and fire crews across the country. 

Congressman Joe Neguse of Colorado’s Second Congressional District says last month he led a letter backed by a group of bipartisan lawmakers to the CDC asking them to change their COVID-19 high-priority testing guidelines after hearing from fire districts about their concerns. 

“Unfortunately, the CDC did not include firefighters or paramedics or first responders at the level one tier of testing,” said Neguse. 

The new CDC guidelines released Monday change that. DeMint said local hospitals and medical facilities will now use those new rules when choosing who to test.  

“We are up there right with their workers and we can get our people tested,” said DeMint. He also said a greater access to testing helps keep his department and the people it serves healthy.

Neguse said the new CDC  guidance only applies to first responders showing  symptoms. He would like to see the CDC  expand that to asymptomatic first responders as well. He also wants to make sure first responders are among the top of the list when there is a vaccine or treatment available for COVID-19.