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

The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) announced a COVID-19 Firefighter Informational Stand Down for next week to combat the growing impact of the virus on the fire and EMS services. 

The fire service lost 154 members in 2021 to COVID-19 and 86 in 2020.

Now, the explosive rise in COVID-19 cases has had a dramatic impact on fire department staffing across the country.  

The IAFC's leadership stated the importance of not letting your guard down, saying it is critical that firefighters be protected through vaccinations to maintain their readiness and ability to respond.

The Safety Health and Survival section’s Fire/EMS Safety Support System recommended the Firefighter Safety and Survival Stand Down, Jan. 9-15, and is asking fire service leaders to conduct informational sessions at all fire and EMS stations.

Leaders are urged to focus attention on the impact of the COVID-19 virus and the safety, health, and survival of the fire and EMS staffs.

Presentations can focus on the facts in an apolitical environment that focuses on personal safety, including the responders, their families and the citizens they serve.

Click here for an informative PowerPoint presentation that can be used to facilitate the informational sessions.

Additional resources and be found here.

Dr. James Augustine, MD, FACEP, chair of the IAFC COVID-19 Taskforce, will answer questions through his weekly “Ask the Doc” program which can be found at www.science-alliance.org.