Editor's note: Find Firehouse.com's complete coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic here.

To ensure uninterrupted service during the coronavirus pandemic, 18 fire departments in San Bernardino County have joined under a regional management team, an action usually reserved for fighting large wildfires.

“COVID-19 has the possibility of affecting a significant portion of the fire and EMS workforce,” the San Bernardino County Fire Chiefs Association said Thursday, March 26, in announcing formation of the agencies that will cooperate with the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District Incident Management Team.

The team was formed on March 6 “to manage exposed and/or sick members of its agency, to ensure responders have necessary personal protective equipment, and to maintain consistent communication with its cooperators.” The 18 fire departments united under the incident management team.

Those agencies “are now united to ensure consistent service regardless of jurisdiction. As the virus establishes itself within our county, citizens may see fire apparatus from other departments responding in their communities and even firefighters from different agencies on the same engine company,” the association said.

Cooperating departments:

• San Bernardino County Fire Protection District
• Morongo Valley Fire
• Apple Valley Fire District
• Ontario Fire Department
• Barstow Fire Department
• Rancho Cucamonga Fire District
• Big Bear Fire Authority
• Redlands Fire Department
• CAL FIRE—San Bernardino Unit.
• Rialto Fire Department
• Chino Valley Fire District
• Running Springs Fire Department
• Colton Fire Department
• San Manuel Fire Department
• Loma Linda Fire Department
• Victorville Fire Department
• Montclair Fire Department
• Yermo Fire Department

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