24 firefighters test negative for COVID-19

Some of the 24 firefighters who were sent home on Sunday after testing negative for COVID-19 during their 14-day quarantine at St. Andrew’s Park Place in Barangay Tinampa-an, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental. (Photo courtesy of BFP-Negros Occidental)

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Negros Occidental recently announced that 24 new firefighters who were quarantined for 14 days in Cadiz City tested negative for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

The BFP personnel underwent reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing on June 2, 2020, two days after they arrived in the province on May 31.

They were sent home last Sunday after completing their two-week quarantine at St. Andrew’s Park Place in Barangay Tinampa-an.

The group was composed of eight female and 16 male BFP personnel who graduated from the Fire Basic Recruit Course (FBRC) at the National Fire Training Institute (NFTI) in Calamba, Laguna.

On June 15, these firefighters had a virtual meeting with Superintendent Pamela Rojane Candido, provincial fire marshal, who welcomed them to the province.

They were brought to their respective BFP stations for their assignment in coordination with their local government units.