This letter was sent out to the Community.

To the Residents of Prince George’s County,

The Prince George’s County Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department has been working in conjunction with our County Executive, Angela Alsobrooks, and all County leaders and the agencies they serve, as we all closely monitor and respond to the COVID-19 situation in our communities.

Your PGFD/EMS providers are responding to all 911 calls for service. What you might notice is that all of our personnel are wearing surgical masks, however, if, and, when necessary, they might be wearing personal protective equipment like gowns, masks, and goggles. From the moment you call 911 to the moment our units arrive on scene, you may find that you are being asked more questions than usual. Please help us provide the best and safest service possible by answering those questions to the best of your ability. All of these steps are critical to ensure the safety of our providers, the continual operation of our services, and the health and well-being of our residents. Also, as a reminder, if you have questions about COVID-19, please do not call 911. The Prince George’s County Health Department has set up a hotline, which you can call with any questions you may have. The number is 301-883-6627.

Our Department, including all of our career and volunteer firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs, is taking every precaution to take care of you and to take care of our members so we can best mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Out of an abundance of caution, sixteen of our members are currently being self-quarantined and are self-monitoring. That number will continue to fluctuate in the coming days. We are in close consultation with the Prince George’s County Department of Health on every call where we come in contact with a patient who is exhibiting signs or symptoms similar to that of COVID-19. Depending on the nature of the individual situation, we may ask a member to self-monitor, like routinely checking their temperature or we may ask them to self-quarantine, if circumstances demand. Additionally, we are cleaning and disinfecting our stations, our equipment, and our vehicles in accordance with current federal, state, and local recommendations. We are routinely checking all of our first responders’ temperatures as an additional layer of protection and safety and we decontaminate our patient transport vehicles per protocols. Again, these steps are out of an abundance of caution to ensure the well-being of our members and the community. For Fire, Rescue, and EMS Departments across our nation, this is the new normal.

Please rest assured that your Prince George’s County Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department is working for you while ensuring the safety of the men and women who have stepped up to serve you. I am very proud of the work they do. I thank them for their service and I thank our County residents as we all work together to safely navigate through this developing situation.

Tiffany Green
Fire Chief
Prince George’s County Fire/Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department

Jennifer Donelan
Acting Director of Public Information
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY FIRE/EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (EMS) DEPARTMENT – @PGFDNews