SWAMPSCOTT — Five Swampscott firefighters are quarantining after testing positive for COVID-19, according to Fire Chief Graham Archer.
All five firefighters are about “midway through” their 10-day mandatory quarantine period, Archer said, noting that the period would be extended for any department member who begins to show symptoms.
Archer could not provide an exact date for when the firefighters were infected, but said they tested positive “within the last couple of weeks.” It’s also unclear how the virus was contracted within the department, he said.
The five COVID-positive firefighters make up approximately 15 percent of the 33-member Swampscott Fire Department, Archer said.
“That’s kind of a lot, especially when you consider the close contacts and those people needing to quarantine as well,” said Archer. “Those guys are out there. They’re out there responding. The town is experiencing a significant surge in cases and they’re responding to medical (calls) as they have always done. They are out on the front lines and they get exposed.”
In response to the positive tests, Archer said the department has hired a private company to sanitize the Burrill Street fire station building. He said firefighters have been more cognizant of COVID-19 precautions and that the department has been in contact with the Lynn Fire Department, which can provide mutual aid if the spread becomes worse in Swampscott.
“The firefighters have doubled down on their mask-wearing and being aware and staying socially distant, but unfortunately, just due to the nature of their job they’re going to be at an additional risk,” said Archer. “They’ve been still coming in and doing the job as always.
“I’m very proud of them. They’re still coming in and working all their shifts and (we’re) looking forward to getting through our second series of vaccines.”
Earlier this month, Swampscott first responders were among the first in the area to receive COVID-19 vaccines, which was part of a regional effort that included police and firefighters from four other towns: Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead and Salem.
As of Monday, Archer said about 60 percent of Swampscott firefighters had been vaccinated, adding that he “strongly” encouraged the remainder of his staff to take the vaccine.
Last Thursday, the Swampscott Fire Fighters Union took issue with some critical remarks made by town officials at last week’s Select Board meeting, regarding first responders in town who had chosen not to be vaccinated in the regional effort earlier this month.
“During said discussion, questions were raised on how many first responder employees chose to be vaccinated vs. how many chose not to be vaccinated,” the union wrote in a letter to the community. “These comments bring scrutiny and condemnation to the members of our emergency service providers.”
The union said that “only time will tell whether the Moderna vaccination can have lasting effects in defense of COVID-19 transmission,” and that “every individual has the right to choose” whether they take the vaccine.
As for Archer, he said he grabbed the first vaccination spot that he “could get his hands on” when first-responder registration opened up on Jan. 11. Another round of vaccinations will soon be available for the department, he said.
“I was eager to get it, and I strongly encourage all of my staff to get vaccinated, and largely they’ve stepped up and done it,” said Archer. “There’s a tremendous amount of misinformation circulating out and about on various sources on the Internet, and firefighters and public safety people are not immune to that misinformation.
“We do have to work, even internally, on making sure our people have the best information possible. They’re independent thinkers and they like to weigh all the information and make informed decisions,” he said.
