Guidance for Prevention and Management of COVID-19 During Wildland Fire Operations

Source: Wildland Fire Medical and Public health Advisory Team (MPHAT)

Rationale

The wildland fire community’s greatest resource is our personnel. Ensuring our personnel are healthy is the first step in meeting the wildland fire mission.

The best way to prevent COVID-19 is to avoid being exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus causing COVID-19. Due to the nature of the wildland fire work environment, not every recommendation listed below will be feasible and some may need to be modified depending on the uniqueness of one’s workplace or fire environment. It is important to emphasize that identifying and preventing the spread of COVID-19 will be critical as all agencies strive to keep their workforce healthy throughout the fire season. There is a need to provide clear leader’s intent with an expectation that COVID-19 prevention and mitigation is still a priority during wildland fire operations. As fire resources respond across the county to wildfires, consistency is needed so that fire resources can move from incident to incident seamlessly not needing to determine differences ins COVID-19 prevention and mitigations.

Summary of Major Updates (March 2022)

• Expectations for continued COVID-19 Prevention and Mitigation for the 2022 wildland fire season were shared in Fire Management Board (FMB) Memo 22-001a.
• Mitigation commendations for masking and screening testing based on new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 Community Levels and Safer Federal Workforce Taskforce Guidance.
  • Practicing physical distancing.
• Fire personnel are encouraged to remain up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations, including receiving boosters as recommended for each vaccine.
• Quarantine and isolation requirements for individuals have changed based on being up to date on COVID-19 vaccines. 

Recommendations

The majority of the following recommendations are based on guidance released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These recommendations continue to be modified as more research is conducted and information is learned about identifying, preventing, and treating COVID-19.

Maintaining a Healthy Workforce

All fire personnel are susceptible to contracting COVID-19. Because of this, the health and well-being of all personnel must be a priority throughout the fire season. Vaccination against COVID-19 along with masks, social distancing, and good hygiene will support the health of fire personnel and are important ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and maintain the health of all fire personnel.

Updates for 2022 Fire Season Based on CDC COVID-19 Community Levels

Pursuant to Executive Order 13991, federal agencies must follow CDC guidelines for mask-wearing and other public health measures. On February 25, 2022, the CDC set recommendations related to COVID-19 Community Levels, which measure the impact of COVID-19 illness on health and healthcare systems.

Layered prevention strategies—like staying up to date on vaccines, screening testing, ventilation, and wearing masks—can help limit spread of COVID-19 and severe disease. The table below provides an overview of the required prevention strategies based on community level. Because wildfire incidents are high-risk congregate settings, MPHAT recommends that additional COVID-19 mitigations continue to be implemented on all wildfire incidents regardless of COVID-19 Community Level. These mitigations are summarized in the table and described in more detail throughout this guidance document.

• COVID-19 Vaccination - All fire personnel should remain up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines to maintain critical fire operations. Vaccines are one of the most effective tools available to protect health and prevent disease. Vaccines work with the body’s natural defenses so it can be ready to fight if exposed to certain diseases, including COVID-19 (also called immunity).
  • Fire personnel are considered up to date on their COVID-19 vaccination when they have received all recommended COVID-19 vaccines, including any booster dose(s) when eligible. 
    • Currently, up to date means an individual has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccines, including any booster dose(s) when eligible. For individuals that received the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna (mRNA COVID-19 vaccines), they are fully vaccinated 2 weeks after their final dose for up to 5 months or have received a booster dose at least 5 months after the last dose in their primary series. For individuals that received the Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, they are fully vaccinated 2 weeks after their first dose for up to 2 months or have received a booster dose Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine at least 2 months after the first J&J/Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine. 
  • Fire personnel are considered fully vaccinated for COVID-19 ≥2 weeks after they have received the second dose in a 2-dose series (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna), or ≥2 weeks after they have received a single-dose vaccine (Johnson and Johnson (J&J)/Janssen). 
  • Fire personnel may be asked their vaccination status and can voluntarily provide a response. Inquiring about vaccination status is not a disability-related inquiry. But if not fully vaccinated, employers should not ask why fire personnel are not vaccinated as that would be subject to the pertinent Americans with Disability Act standards. 
  • Even if their vaccination status is not known or shared with others, all fire personnel have the duty and integrity to practice the prevention and mitigation practices outlined in this guidance. 
• Due to the transitory nature of our workforce from states across the nation, varying vaccination status, and the limited number of our workforce, all fire personnel are to practice COVID-19 prevention and mitigation measures, regardless of vaccination status. This includes - wearing a mask on fires or in associated facilities unless the only person in an enclosed space or performing arduous duties including physical training as well as continue to maintain physical distancing. 
• All resources should have a heightened sense of awareness on the signs and symptoms of COVID-19. All resources should monitor their own health and encourage all crew members to do the same. 
• To reduce cumulative fatigue that may be present – especially later in the fire season, rest and proper nutrition should be prioritized for each operational period. If personnel feel unusually fatigued or have any signs or symptoms of COVID-19, they should follow the guidelines developed by Medical and Public Health Advisory Team (MPHAT) prior to returning to their normal duties. 
• Conduct daily COVID-19 symptom screening, which includes a temperature check, to identify individuals with potential COVID-19 infection at duty stations or on incidents. Refer to the Wildland Fire COVID-19 Screening Standard Operating Procedures developed by MPHAT. 
• Rigorous sanitary and personal hygiene practices are important for reducing the transmission of infectious diseases. All personnel must cover their coughs and sneezes. Proper hand hygiene must be performed by all personnel. Fire personnel must wash their hands or use hand sanitizer after touching potentially contaminated surfaces, removing face coverings or personal protective equipment (PPE), after using the restroom, and before eating or putting anything in their mouth. Make these hygiene practices part of all personnel’s operational duties with dedicated time set aside daily.
• Mitigate smoke exposure for firefighters when tactics can be adjusted, and operational objectives can be met. Evaluate smoke impacts for spike camps and Incident Command Posts (ICPs). It is reasonable to assume that smoke exposure could exacerbate the effects of COVID-19. 
• While fire personnel are often some of the most healthy and fit workers, it is critical all personnel evaluate their overall health and consider risks that may impact their susceptibility of experiencing more severe symptoms if they contract COVID-19. Older adults (aged 65 years and older) and people of any age who have underlying medical conditions (asthma, obesity, chronic lung disease, diabetes, serious heart conditions, chronic kidney disease, immunocompromised, liver disease) might be at higher risk for severe illness. These individuals should take extra precautions to protect themselves from exposure to the virus and should be assigned to duties that reduce their risk of contracting the illness (e.g., limiting interactions with other people, virtual and telework assignments). 
• Fire agencies should also complete a hazard assessment to identify potential hazards related to COVID-19. The Hazard Assessment and Prevention Toolkit for COVID-19 provides a framework to complete the assessment. 
• Crews and modules should use a Module as One approach to insulate as one unit and reduce exposure to the public and other crews. 
  • By insulating as a unit, crews and modules can limit outside exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and become a closed family unit and reduce risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 from individuals outside of the crew or module. 
  • Personnel must keep in mind, exposing yourself could mean also exposing your module and your family. Insulate and protect yourselves. Practice social distancing to a minimum of six feet from individuals outside of your module as well as wear a face covering unless performing arduous duties. 
  • Crews and modules should limit close contact with other resources both at their home unit or on incidents to insulate their module. When coming into close contact or riding in vehicles, all resources should wear cloth face coverings or masks. While the practice of handshaking, hugging, or any physical contact is a deeply rooted etiquette within the United States, this practice should be avoided to reduce further potential for disease transmission. 
  • Minimize contact with the public. This is to protect every crew member, their family, and the community we serve. Identify select individuals on a crew or module that will interact with the public, ensuring this person relies on social distancing, wears a cloth face covering, and practices hand hygiene during or after every interaction. This is especially important if the crew is working in or traveling through an area with high community transmission. 
  • When social distancing is not possible, masks may be required on all federally managed incidents (see recommendations above). 
  • Because IMT members often travel from various locations, are not able to quarantine ahead of assignment, and often interact with the public and many other IMT members – they cannot achieve a closed family unit or be a Module as One.

Masks and Respiratory Protection

Fire personnel must understand the differences between the types of masks and PPE, the appropriate way to wear and use them. When using masks, it is more difficult to eat and drink; firefighters are encouraged to pay special attention to nutrition and hydration needs when wearing masks.

Masks

• Masks are required on all federally managed incidents when the COVID-19 Community Level is HIGH in the county where a federally managed wildfire is located. Masks are required to be worn unless outdoors and able to always maintain at least 6 feet of distance, alone in an enclosed space, or actively engaged in firefighting on the fireline.
• There may be instances where wearing a mask is not feasible and people are exempt from the requirement to wear a mask as they would create a risk to workplace health, safety, or job duty. Examples may include, when individuals are performing unique work-related tasks and physical distancing cannot be maintained such as, where there is a risk that a mask will distort communication (i.e., dispatchers and pilots) and when employees are performing arduous work such as firefighter, physical training, physically demanding fuels reduction work or demanding natural resource management activities and wearing a mask can interfere with breathing and/or body temperature.
• Any mask worn near a fireline should be made of non-synthetic materials. See CDC Guide on Masks on how to select and a wear a mask. The primary purpose of these masks (also known as source control) is to reduce the spread of the virus from resources who may have the virus and are asymptomatic.
• Masks should be cleaned with soap and water at least daily. Thus, each person should have multiple face coverings/masks so that one can be used while the others are laundered.
• Masks or cloth face coverings are not PPE like surgical facemasks or N95 filtering facepiece respirators.
• Surgical masks (disposable masks) are not intended to be used more than once. If the mask is damaged or soiled, or if breathing through the mask becomes difficult, it should be removed, discarded safely, and replaced with a new one. To safely discard the mask, place it in a plastic bag and put it in the trash. It is important to perform hand hygiene immediately after handing the used mask.
• Per CDC Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Patients with Suspected or Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Healthcare Settings guidance, along with other precautions, personnel with known or suspected COVID-19 should wear a disposable facemask or cloth face covering to contain secretions during interaction with other personnel or during transport.

N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirator

• A N95 filtering facepiece respirator is a respiratory protective device designed to achieve a very close facial fit and very efficient filtration of airborne particles. The 'N95' designation means that when subjected to careful testing, the respirator blocks at least 95 percent of very small (0.3 micron) test particles if worn properly.
• At this time, the CDC does not recommend that the general public wear N95 filtering facepiece respirators to protect themselves from respiratory diseases, including coronavirus (COVID-19).
• Note all workers who wear filtering facepiece respirators to protect themselves from workplace hazards must comply with the OSHA respiratory protection standard.

Social/Physical Distancing

Limiting face-to-face contact (keeping 6 feet or more distance) with others is the best way to reduce the spread of COVID-19. 

• All fire personnel regardless of vaccination status need to continue to practice physical distancing.
• Do not gather in groups; limit face-to-face meetings and maintain a social distance of six feet during necessary meetings. Do not shake hands, hug, or engage in other physical contact. If possible, rely on remote units and virtual technology for IMT staffing, meetings, and other communication. This includes incorporating virtual technology and communications (such as radio briefings and meetings) as much as possible.
• Minimize the size and number of personnel at ICPs. Set up fire camps that allow for social distancing. Use smaller spike camps to insulate crews and modules from each other and other outside personnel and resources. Consider the use of radio briefings and multiple-day Incident Action Plans.
• Create separate spaces in offices and shared housing where possible. Stagger work hours to create more open spaces in tight and close quarters.

Cleaning and Disinfection

It is possible for fire personnel to become infected with SARS-CoV-2 if they touch a virus contaminated surface and then touch their nose, mouth, or eyes. In most situations, the risk of infection from touching a surface is low. The most reliable way to prevent infection from surfaces is to regularly wash hands or use hand sanitizer. See Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility | CDC for more information.

Frequently cleaning with products containing soap or detergent reduces germs on surfaces by removing contaminants and may also weaken or damage some of the virus particles. When no people with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 are known to have been in a space, cleaning once a day is usually enough to sufficiently remove virus that may be on surfaces and help maintain a healthy facility. If the space is a high traffic or use area, cleaning may need to occur more frequently.

Disinfecting (using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) List N) kills any remaining germs on surfaces, which further reduces any risk of spreading infection. If certain conditions apply, surfaces should be disinfected after cleaning. This may include high transmission of COVID-19 in the community, low number of people wearing masks, infrequent hand hygiene, or the space is occupied by certain populations, such as people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

Since fire camps include many shared areas with high touch surfaces and many personnel, it is recommended that those surfaces be cleaned and disinfected at least once a day. If there has been a sick person or someone who tested positive for COVID-19 in the facility within the last 24 hours, the space should be cleaned and disinfected.

To clean the area, it is recommended that all visibly dirty surfaces be cleaned with soap and water (or similar detergent) prior to disinfectant. After cleaning the surface, disinfect the surface using an EPA-registered household disinfectant or a bleach/water solution (5 tablespoons bleach (1/3 cup) per gallon of water or 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water). CDC does not recommend alternative disinfecting methods such as sanitizing tunnels, ultrasonic waves, high intensity UV radiation, LED blue light, fogging, fumigation, or wide-area or electrostatic spraying as they may introduce additional safety risks, or their effectiveness is unknown.

• It is critical when using disinfectants that all personnel are trained and faithfully follow the instructions on the label to ensure safe and effective use of the product. When necessary, management should also ensure workers wear, train on the use of, and are provided the appropriate PPE specific to cleaning and disinfecting assignments.
• In shared working and living spaces, do not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, or bedding without appropriately cleaning and sanitizing them. Wash these items thoroughly after use with soap and water.
• Minimize equipment (radios, hand tools) sharing within your crew and with outside resources. If equipment must be shared, ensure resources properly disinfect the equipment and perform hand hygiene before and after use (if possible).
• Cleaning and/or disinfecting should become part of each unit’s operational duties with dedicated time set aside daily. Checklists can be used to ensure these potentially contaminated surfaces are consistently cleaned and disinfected on regular intervals. Home units and IMT should ensure there is an adequate supply of cleaning and disinfecting agents at their stations/barracks or on wildfire incidents.

Preventing the Spread of COVID-19

To understand the spread of COVID-19 in the wildland fire community, incidents meeting large fire criteria and submitting an ICS 209 (300 acres brush or 100 acre timber) are required to report any COVID-19 related activity into the Incident COVID-19 Tracker.

• Access to the tracker may be requested by e-mail at: Incident_COVID19_Tracker@doi.gov.

Isolation - Requirements for any individual that is awaiting test results and is symptomatic or tests positive for COVID-19 infection:  

• If awaiting imminent test results and mildly ill, an individual can isolate at camp in their tent, a designated isolated tent/yurt, or in their vehicle. 
•  An individual that tests positive is not to travel via public transportation to get home. The COVID-19 Liaison or COVID-19 Coordinator will notify the home unit to coordinate care of the individual/s. 
•  If they are beyond one tank of gas from home, they will be offered housing (e.g., hotel, barracks) to isolate locally, and the local COVID-19 Liaison is responsible to coordinate local logistics (meals, prescriptions, fluids, etc.) and work with the incident buying team.  
• An individual, regardless of vaccination status, should isolate for ten days following either a positive test result or the onset of symptoms. 

Anyone sent home is to check-in with their home unit supervisor before leaving the fire incident to set up a communication plan for their travel, and check-out with the home unit once they get home to ensure they get home safely. 

Recommendations for sick or potentially sick fire personnel – While at a duty station or home unit, sick or potentially sick personnel should stay home; if personnel fall ill on an incident, they must report that to their supervisor and appropriate next steps will be taken if they are sick. 

Separate a sick individual from others in the home or at work. In shared housing, management should pre-identify where a sick individual can self-isolate. Ideally, this person would have his/her own bedroom and bathroom. Management should also develop a plan for how to care for a sick co-worker and to make sure a sick individual has essential supplies. 

• Individuals who are sick should wear a mask over their nose and mouth if they must be around other people. The sick should also try to stay at least 6 feet away from others which will help protect the people around a sick individual. 
•  Seek immediate medical attention if someone develops emergency warning signs for COVID-19: trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inability to arouse, or bluish lips or face. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Coronavirus Self Checker can assist in decision making. 
•  Local or state public health may coordinate with the infected individual and/or the agency to perform contact tracing to trace, notify and monitor the infected person and their contacts. Contact tracing will help ensure the safe, sustainable and effective quarantine of contacts to prevent additional transmission. 
  •  If the public health department does not coordinate with the employee or agency, the agency should do their best to determine contacts and needs for quarantine and testing. Visit the FMB COVID-19 Case Investigation and Contact Tracing webpage for more information.  

On-boarding of Personnel

• If possible, when on-boarding crew members keep new members separate for two weeks. COVID-19 prevention mitigations should be implemented at all times to the best of their ability. These crew members should minimize interaction with the public and outside community at this time to decrease introducing exposure to the other crew members. Screening testing can be incorporated in this separation time by testing every 3-5 days, dependent on local testing capability or contracting.
• When the module has been established, minimize interaction with the public and outside community to minimize the exposure you introduce to the module. If separation of new crew members is difficult, maximize telework and virtual training opportunities. Utilize the Wildland Fire COVID-19 Screening Standard Operating Procedures developed by Wildland Fire MPHAT to screen for symptoms daily. Conduct training and meetings outside where at least 6 feet of spacing between all personnel can be maintained.
• Personnel must keep in mind, exposing yourself could mean also exposing your module and your family. Insulate and protect yourselves. Practice social distancing to a minimum of six feet from individuals outside of your module as well as wear a face covering unless performing arduous duties.