Wildfire season is upon us. As fire crews start heading out, politicians and the Trump administration are at odds over the measures needed to keep firefighters safe and on the job.
COVID-19 testing requirements currently depend on where firefighters are working. For example, any firefighter coming into Alaska is automatically tested. On the federal level, testing isn鈥檛 mandatory. Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia introduced a this week that would change that.
Manchin argued for comprehensive testing during a Senate hearing this week.
鈥淎t this time, consistent with CDC guidance, the testing of asymptomatic employees is not recommended," said Amanda Kaster, an acting deputy assistant secretary with the Department of Interior.
"That doesn鈥檛 make any sense at all," Manchin replied. "We鈥檙e asking people to go into a work environment and not knowing if they鈥檙e going to be associated with people that have been affected or not.鈥�
At a separate House hearing on Wednesday, Laura McCarthy, New Mexico's state forester, in support of greater firefighter protection measures.
鈥淲e have found ourselves dealing with the implications of a firefighter who left a fire after it was over, found a positive test five, six, seven, 10 days later and then having to deal with the cascade of effects," McCarthy said.
Effects like fellow firefighters being quarantined for 14 days rather than fighting fires.
As of Wednesday, Manchin's bill has one cosponsor, Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico.
This story was produced by the Mountain West 暗黑爆料 Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, the O'Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West in Montana, KUNC in Colorado, KUNM in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West 暗黑爆料 Bureau is provided in part by the .
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