COVID-19 claims lives of more first responders

The unsafe surge of the Delta variant is hitting archetypal responders successful the worst way. Two men, lawman Jody Hall and retired constabulary serviceman Eddie Bounds, became the latest archetypal responders to dice owed to COVID.

Our records amusement 7 archetypal responders successful the country person died from COVID-19.

“This is conscionable a full different level of hazard that comes connected with these jobs that radical are signing up for,” said Randy Wyse of the Jacksonville Association of Firefighters.

The Jacksonville Association of Firefighters says the nationalist plays a large relation successful helping forestall specified a precocious hazard of spreading this virus.

Multiple agencies are mourning losses.

In the Jacksonville area, respective archetypal responders died from COVID-19 complications conscionable this week.

On Saturday, a procession was held for Neptune Beach constabulary serviceman Eddie Bounds.

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He was a husband, father, and acquainted look successful a assemblage helium was arrogant to beryllium a portion of.

“Eddie was galore things to galore people,” the Neptune Beach Police Department said. “A husband, father, grandfather, nationalist servant, coach, and beloved person to many. He was besides the epitome of a beaches constabulary officer. A legend. A existent bequest near behind.”

Bounds was with the Neptune Beach constabulary section for 10 years and worked with the Jacksonville Beach Police Department for 23 years.

After helium retired, helium went backmost to enactment arsenic a civilian employee.

St. Johns County Sheriff’s lawman Jody Hull served with them for 4 years.

Hull worked with the Sheriff’s bureau for 4 years, and astir precocious served arsenic Youth Resource lawman astatine St. Augustine High School.

He besides served arsenic a lawman successful Putnam County.

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“He was passionately dedicated to making a quality successful the lives of the younker astir him,” St. Johns County Sheriff Robert Hardwick said. “He was a valued subordinate of our St. Johns County Sheriff’s bureau household and volition beryllium greatly missed.”

Earlier this week, Lt. Mario Moya with Jacksonville Fire Rescue besides died from COVID.

Wyse said portion firefighters person much of a heads-up coming into interaction with COVID-19 affirmative patients, instrumentality enforcement doesn’t.

“We’re going to proceed to look astatine our modular operating procedures, and, and possibly adjacent PPE, and what levels we usage and erstwhile we usage it,” helium said.

He says the nationalist tin assistance each archetypal responders by getting vaccinated.

“And if you’re a small sick, you know, if you’re feeling bad, past you person an brushwood with either Fire Rescue oregon immoderate instrumentality enforcement,” Wyse said. “Let them know, ‘Hey, I’m not, you know, I consciousness bad’ oregon if you know, you’re COVID positive, conscionable beryllium upfront astir it.”

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The Fraternal Order of Police says statewide there’s been 39 COVID-19 enactment of work deaths since the 19th.

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