COVID Spike Jeopardizing Response Time Of Fire And Police Departments

(Los Angeles, CA) — Response times of fire and police departments could be jeopardized by the surge in COVID cases. More than 400 LAPD officers and 200 firefighters reported that they tested positive for the coronavirus this week. The call-outs led to an incremental increase in response times and the need to bring in more off-duty personnel to work overtime shifts. City Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas explained the need for healthy personnel to work more to fill the vacancies is creating an enormous amount of stress. He also said firefighters are less willing to work as much overtime in a phenomena he nicknamed ‘COVID fatigue.’