LANSING, Mich. — The City of Jackson has teamed up with Summit Township Fire Department to combat the coronavirus.
The City of Jackson said the city and the fire department have agreed to jointly staff a special response unit that will primarily respond to known or suspected cases of coronavirus.
The city said members of the special response unit will not be assigned to other fire stations to avoid spreading the illness, however, if all fire crews are working a fire scene, the unit might be dispatched to a "high priority rescue unit."
The special unit will operate out of a reopened fire station, the city said.
Captian Scott Stoker of the Summit Township Fire Department said the township has just hired three additional firefighters to staff the special response unit.
“This agreement puts plans in place for firefighters to efficiently respond to COVID-19 incidents. It also helps make sure firefighters can stay healthy while we protect the area. Ensuring the safety of the community is what we’re tasked with on a daily basis, and our response will continue during this situation. It’s encouraging to see local departments and governments coming together during this time of crisis,” Stoker said.
“We thank the union for working with us to make this unit a reality with the best interest of the community at heart. Despite the uncertainty of this pandemic, we feel the new unit will have a positive impact on our response to COVID-19 in Jackson,” Director of Jackson Police and Fire Services Elmer Hitt said.
The agreement will remain in effect until May 31, 2020.
The city said by May 18, firefighters and officials will meet to figure out if the agreement should be extended.
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