Portland Fire Shows COVID 19 Changes

We talked to Portland Fire and Rescue, about how COVID 19 is changing the way firefighters respond to these fires:

At 4:30 A.M., the fire started shooting out flames and smoke from one of 15 apartments
at 80th and South Main, and jumped to one more apartment.

“Big heavy smoke and fire, coming from a one story apartment complex,”says
Lieutenant Rich Chatman. He points out the COVID-19 crisis brings another level of concern for the firefighters.

“We know that just about everybody’s home right now, so given the time of day that it came in their first concern was that they those people out of those units, so they were able to do that,” said Chatman.

One victim went to Legacy Emmanuel Hospital, with non life threatening injuries.
The Red Cross is helping 3 people who made it out find shelter.

Chatman says the firefighters’ equipement is offering them good COVID-19 protection. “The full face mask with an air tank, and we have to decontaminate our firefighting gear,” he said.

But he says they’re still trying to find donations for protective equipment for medical workers. The address for the donations is at 1300 S.E. Gideon.