COVID-19 is continuing to hit Buffalo's first responders hard, but the city's mayor says the public will not see any disruptions to the safety services they rely on.
Mayor Byron Brown said Thursday there have been no service interruptions because of the large number of city police and firefighters who are down either with the virus or quarantined on suspicion of having it. He said city crews are continuing heavy cleaning in fire houses and district police stations, trying to keep the situation from getting any worse.
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"Twenty-four firefighters have tested positive for the virus and 52 others are on administrative leave as a precautionary measure. Seventeen police officers have tested positive while 25 officers are out on administrative leave," Brown said.
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Those numbers have continued to rise over the last two weeks, as the virus has spread through community transmission. Brown said despite the effect, the public is still being served.
"We still have enough staff to respond to any needs that our community has," Brown said.
The mayor said the Buffalo Employment and Training Center has employers who are looking for people and the center is working virtually. He added the city is looking for volunteers for an array of efforts to help citizens through its Good Neighbors Network.
