JOHNSON CO. — After making a medical run to a 60-year-old patient's home who may have COVID-19, 10 White River Township Fire Department firefighter/EMTs may have to self-quarantined for the next 14 days, according to WRTFD PIO Jeremy Pell.
Fire Chief Pell told RTV6 that eight of the EMT's are in quarantine at the Old Fire Station on Mullinix Road for the time being. Two others are in quarantine at home.
The exposure happened on Saturday around 2 p.m. in the northwest part of the county.
Chief Pell says dispatchers have procedures in place for questioning, and they didn't have any reason to believe this would've been a positive COVID-19 case.
The 10 EMTs treated a patient who was an adult male who went into cardiac arrest was not breathing, and eventually died.
Chief Pell says they were able to get samples from the patient, so COVID-19 tests can now be run. He says if the EMT's have to be quarantined for 14 days, this will impact the department the EMTs got off work Sunday morning and are due to return to work in 48 hours, so they hope to be able to confirm if the patient tests positive before then.
If not, they will remain in quarantine.
