Monessen No. 1 FD returns after COVID-19 shutdown

By KRISTIE LINDEN

klinden@yourmvi.com

Monessen No. 1 Fire Department reopened today after a 10-day closure due to COVID-19 cases among its firefighters.

Municipal fire Chief Delmar Hepple said he made the suggestion to close the station due to the number of firefighters who had tested positive and made the decision to close along with city Councilman Don Gregor, who is in charge of public safety, and the leadership at the No. 1 station. 

Hepple said the station was closed long enough to get everything deep cleaned and he was given the go-ahead Tuesday to reopen the station at midnight.

The firefighters who tested positive must wait 14 days following their test date to return to service and they will have to give Hepple a negative test result before they return.

Hepple said it’s times like this that it’s a good thing there are two departments in the city because the Monessen Hilltop Volunteer Fire Department was able to keep the city covered throughout the 10-day period. 

“I actually met with 911 when it started and rearranged alarm assignments so everything went pretty smooth for those 10 days,” Hepple said. “There was no lapse in (response) time. We had a half dozen calls or so and we just filled in mutual aid fire departments.” 

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