The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in San Antonio fully activated on Friday for the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, several agencies have come together to figure out things such as finance, logistics and planning for the city. "Whether I need ambulances, fire trucks; whether I need personnel; whether I need to rent a facility; whether I need to find testing locations, hotels, all of those things have been included in planning," said San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood. The last time the EOC was fully activated was during Hurricane Harvey in 2017. "Our main concern is, again, flooding, our hospitals, making sure that our first responders have the equipment that they need and they're responding appropriately. And so, again, it is the day by day wait and see what's happening," Hood said.  

As local cases of the novel coronavirus continue to emerge, a distillery in the heart of Old Town Lewisville is making free hand sanitizer for the community to try to help slow spread of the disease. Bendt Distilling Co. first began making hand sanitizer a few weeks ago when the company's owners, Natasha and Ryan DeHart, could not find any in stores or online for its staff. As sanitizer became harder and harder to find and local concern over stopping the spread of coronavirus reached a peak, the pair decided to start making the mixture to give to the community for free. Though supplies are limited, community members can get one bottle of hand sanitizer each at the distillery from noon to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday.  

Several Red Oak firefighters are in quarantine as one of them awaits his coronavirus test results. Fire Chief Ben Blanton said that one of his men started showing symptoms of illness after reporting to work. He recently traveled outside of the country, too. Now, all eight of his co-workers on the same shift are being monitored. None of them are symptomatic, according to Blanton but since they are the first line of defense on emergency operations, he said they have set things up to house them at city facilities until the results come back. The department hopes to prevent any further potential contacts and also help to protect their families in doing so.  

The Rockdale Volunteer Fire Department is assisting elderly citizens in the community by offering grocery shopping and delivery services. The department is offering to shop for grocery items for people 75-years-old and older who may not be able to go to the store. The services will be offered on an as-needed basis and as personnel are available. Rockdale VFD said there will be times when they are only able to do this in the evening hours after firefighters get off work. If a citizen needs assistance, contact Fire Chief Roddam at (979) 220-9034. Do not call Rockdale dispatch.  

Legislation that would prevent the T-Band spectrum – a public safety radio network intended to ease communication among first responders in 11 metropolitan areas – from being auctioned to other users has garnered support from International Association of Fire Chiefs President and Board Chair Gary Ludwig and International Association of Fire Fighters General President Harold Schaitberger. Reintroduced in the Senate on Oct. 30 by Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA), the Don't Break Up the T-Band Act of 2019 (S. 2748) and its bipartisan House companion bill (H.R. 451) would repeal a provision of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 directing the Federal Communications Commission to auction T-Band airwaves by Feb. 22, 2021.  

The ambulances at the West Metro Fire Department have been turned into isolation rooms on wheels. The countertops have been cleared, the EKG machines have been bagged, and the back of each ambulance has been sealed off from the cab. This is just part of the fire department's plan to battle COVID-19. Fire departments across the state, including Denver, Aurora, Arvada and Fort Lupton, changed the way they do business as the coronavirus spreads. The changes come after 13 Arvada firefighters returned to work Thursday after being in quarantine after potential exposure to the new virus. All tested negative for COVID-19, Deanna Harrington, public information officer for the Arvada Fire Protection District, said. Fire departments are screening for symptoms of COVID-19, and they are preparing firefighters and medical staff to enter homes where they may come into contact with a COVID-19 patient.  

Several boxes and hand sanitizers have been delivered to a fire department in Tennessee after two brothers who tried to capitalize on the coronavirus outbreak by stockpiling nearly 18,000 bottles with the intent to resell the goods had their stash cleaned out. The Chattanooga Fire Department said on Facebook it received a donation of sanitizing products after a "viral story" about individuals who "purchased thousands of those items." "A portion went to first responders," the fire department said. "We are grateful to have these supplies on hand right now in an effort to keep our crews healthy." Video posted to Facebook shows the boxes of hand sanitizer being loaded by firefighters. Matt and Noah Colvin drew widespread fury over the weekend after their effort was profiled by The New York Times, in which they were revealed to have cleared out hand sanitizer and antibacterial wipes from stores around Chattanooga, Tenn., and parts of Kentucky.  

Kentucky firefighters, police and other public safety workers say the Friday closure of most child care centers could hurt staffing, hamper public safety and impede the state's response to the coronavirus outbreak. To stop the spread of the respiratory illness, Gov. Andy Beshear ordered Kentucky child care centers closed by Friday. Centers that serve health care workers have been exempted from the closure. Police, fire, corrections officers and 911 dispatchers want the Beshear administration to add child care for first responders to the exemption. Officials with Beshear's administration were not immediately available for comment. Lexington Enhanced 911 Director Robert Stack said his 911 call takers and dispatchers have scrambled over the last few days to find friends, co-workers and family members to watch their children.