Local firefighter quarantining at Tufts dorms to protect his family after testing positive for COVID-19

MEDFORD, Mass. — Cambridge firefighters are on the front lines in the battle against the coronavirus like all first responders. Now, one of their own now contracting the disease.

“We see multiple COVID-19 patients everyday," said Cambridge Fire Lieutenant Brian O’Neil. "As a paramedic we go to all these calls. I go to nursing homes, hospitals, assisted living,” said O’Neil. He says he noticed at work on Sunday that his taste was off. He was sent to Mt Auburn Hospital.

“They said, ‘You need to come in here right now,’" said O’Neil. "They knew immediately something wasn’t right.”

The results came back positive on Tuesday. He’s now living in dorms at Tufts University in Medford in an effort to stay quarantined away from his family and keep them safe.

So far, his symptoms are minor. He says, “I’ll take those symptoms any day of the week over the way some people are going through.”

Stories like that and the unknown first responders face is why Governor Charlie Baker announced on Friday the state is distributing two hundred thousand respirator face masks.

“Effective today the Commonwealth will distribute respirator masks to all local law enforcement officers and firefighters statewide during the COVID-19 response," said Baker.

This new distribution ensures local law enforcement and firefighters will have five respirator masks each. That’s equivalent to a one month’s supply -and it’s good news for O’Neil.

“Two hundred thousand will go a long way," said O’Neil. "You cannot have too much right now.”

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- Massachusetts Coronavirus Information

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