Ludhiana fire brigade seeks testing of two fire fighters before re-inducting them into service

The duo was earlier asked to self-quarantine themselves on suspicion after a screening was conducted by the fire brigade department on April 15

The district fire brigade department has sought that two fire fighters, who were home quarantined in mid April on suspicion, be tested for the Covid-19 before being pressed into the service.

The department says fire fighters meet a large number of people when they move to douse a fire or sanitise streets so it is important that they are cleared of any suspicion before being re-inducted into the job.

The two fire fighters, including a driver of a fire tender vehicle, were home quarantined after the fire brigade conducted a screening of fire fighters on April 15.

The driver deputed at Sundar Nagar fire station had come in contact with an electrician of Amarpura area, which had reported positive cases in the past. Another fire fighter deployed at Gill road fire station was quarantined after a positive case was reported from his village.

Assistant divisional fire officer (ADFO) Bhupinder Singh said both were advised to self-quarantine for 15 days after their circumstances were known.

None of them had shown any symptom during screening, however, they were asked to quarantine themselves as a precautionary measure, he said.

Fire station officer (FSO) Shritsi Nath Sharma said, “Before re-inducting them into the service, we want their samples be sent for testing as a precautionary step. We perform emergency services and fire fighters meet a large number of people when they move to douse a fire or sanitise streets. The objective is to ensure that they are not carrying the virus.”