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The Lake City fire chief lost their weeks-long battle to COVID-19 Sunday.
Randy Burnham had been on the ventilator after contracting the virus three to four weeks ago.
“He had qualities that were admired, that would just -- you naturally gravitate towards people like Chief Burnham, and, you know, to lose somebody like him in the fire service, in general -- much less in a small community like Lake City or Lake City Fire Department -- is just absolutely tragic,” Austin Thomas told news4jax.com. Austin had known the chief for a decade.
Burnham was fire chief for three years and served the city for almost 30 years.
In a Facebook post late last month, the department said two members with COVID-19 were fighting for their life.
At one point in August, 75 percent of the fire station's workers were off due to COVID-19. Some members had tested positive with the virus and others were in quarantine.
When asked by the television station, city officials were uncertain if Burnham had been vaccinated.
“Hitting so close to home influenced the people to get vaccinated, protect themselves, protect their families,” Austin said. “And I know for sure that that Chief Burnham was always an advocate for, you know: Do what’s best for you and your family.”
When asked if the chief was vaccinated, Thomas and others with the city said they didn’t know."It is with my deepest sympathy and probably the hardest thing that I have ever posted," a message on the department's Facebook page read. "Today Chief Randy Burnham lost his fight with COVID. We are saddened but thankful for all of your prayers. Please continue to lift the family and our department in your prayers."
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