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d-sm-inline-block">Share on:</li><li class="list-inline-item mx-2 mx-md-3"><a rel="me" aria-label="Share this page on X" href="https://x.com/intent/tweet?text=Infectious diseases resources for fire and EMS departments, including guidance on maintaining operational capabilities during a pandemic. https://www.usfa.fema.gov/a-z/infectious-diseases.html"><span class="fa-brands fa-x-twitter fa-lg"></span></a></li><li class="list-inline-item mx-2 mx-md-3"><a rel="me" aria-label="Share this page on Facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.usfa.fema.gov/a-z/infectious-diseases.html"><span class="fa-brands fa-facebook-f fa-lg"></span></a></li><li class="list-inline-item mx-2 mx-md-3"><a rel="me" aria-label="Share this page on LinkedIn" href="https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A//www.usfa.fema.gov/a-z/infectious-diseases.html"><span class="fa-brands fa-linkedin-in fa-lg"></span></a></li></ul></div></div><div id="mainContent"><section class="container mb-7"><div class="row justify-content-around mb-5"><div class="col-12 col-lg-9"><h2 class="mt-3 mb-3">Guidance documents</h2><div class="row justify-content-center"><div class="col-12 col-md-6 bg-danger text-white p-3 p-lg-4 p-xl-5"><h3>Pandemic response listening session</h3><p>A new report from USFA summarizes discussions among national emergency response stakeholders about the impact of COVID-19 on the fire and EMS and potential solutions to mitigate response challenges experienced during the recent pandemic.</p><p><a class="btn btn-white text-primary" href="/downloads/pdf/publications/covid-19-response-listening-session-report.pdf"><span class="fa-sharp fa-regular fa-file-pdf" aria-label="Download Pandemic Response Listening Session"></span> Download the report <span class="initialism">PDF</span></a></p></div><div class="col-12 col-md-6 bg-light p-3 p-lg-4 p-xl-5 border-start"><h3>Maintaining operational capabilities during a pandemic</h3><p>During a severe pandemic, workloads increase and staff sizes diminish as employees and their families become ill or are quarantined. This guide provides contingency planning information that can help fire and EMS departments reduce the worst impacts.</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary" href="/downloads/pdf/publications/first_responder_pandemic_operational_capabilities.pdf"><span class="fa-sharp fa-regular fa-file-pdf" aria-label="Download Maintaining Operational Capabilities During a Pandemic"></span> Download document <span class="initialism">PDF</span></a></p></div></div><h2 class="mt-5 mb-3">Podcasts</h2><div class="row justify-content-start row-cols-1 row-cols-sm-2 row-cols-md-3"><div class="card border-0 h-100"><a href="/podcasts/episode-15/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><div class="ratio ratio-2x1"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="/img/photos/episode-15-600w.webp 600w"><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/img/photos/episode-15-600w.jpg 600w"><img src="/img/photos/episode-15-600w.jpg" width="600" height="300" class="img-fluid" alt="" loading="lazy" decoding="async"></picture></div></a><div class="card-body px-0"><div class="d-flex justify-content-between align-items-start border-bottom pb-2"><div class="fw-bold small">Episode 15</div><div class="small fw-bold text-end">March 16, 2023</div></div><h3 class="h4 balance-text mt-2"><a href="/podcasts/episode-15/">The effects of long COVID on the fire service</a></h3><p>The strenuous physical activities performed by firefighters can worsen the symptoms of long COVID. Tune into The USFA Podcast to learn from Dr. Denise Smith about the effects of long COVID on the fire service.</p></div></div><div class="card border-0 h-100"><a href="/podcasts/episode-6/" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1"><div class="ratio ratio-2x1"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="/img/photos/episode-6-600w.webp 600w"><source type="image/jpeg" srcset="/img/photos/episode-6-600w.jpg 600w"><img src="/img/photos/episode-6-600w.jpg" width="600" height="300" class="img-fluid" alt="" loading="lazy" decoding="async"></picture></div></a><div class="card-body px-0"><div class="d-flex justify-content-between align-items-start border-bottom pb-2"><div class="fw-bold small">Episode 6</div><div class="small fw-bold text-end">June 16, 2022</div></div><h3 class="h4 balance-text mt-2"><a href="/podcasts/episode-6/">COVID-19's continuing fire service challenges</a></h3><p>In this episode, we talk with Dr. James Augustine about some of the COVID-19 challenges that the fire and EMS continue to deal with.</p></div></div></div></div></div></section></div><aside id="aside" class="bg-light py-5"><div class="container"><div class="row justify-content-around"><div class="col-12 col-md-7"><h3>Related content</h3><ul class="list-unstyled"><li class="mb-3 lead"><a href="/a-z/critical-infrastructure-protection.html">Critical infrastructure protection</a></li><li class="mb-3 lead"><a href="/ems/">Emergency medical services</a></li><li class="mb-3 lead"><a href="/a-z/health-safety-wellness/">Emergency responder health, safety and wellness</a></li></ul></div><div class="col-12 col-md-5"><h4 class="h5">Recommended resources</h4><ul class="list-unstyled"><li class="mb-3"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.cdc.gov/">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a></li><li class="mb-3"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.iaff.org/infectious-disease/">International Association of Fire Fighters</a></li><li class="mb-3"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2008-116/pdfs/2008-116.pdf?id=10.26616/NIOSHPUB2008116">National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health <span class="initialism">PDF</span></a></li><li class="mb-3"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.osha.gov/healthcare/infectious-diseases">Occupational Safety and Health Administration</a></li></ul></div></div></div></aside><footer id="footer"><div class="bg-light" id="page-reviewed"><div class="container py-2"><p class="small mb-0">Page last reviewed: June 9, 2023</p></div></div><div id="footer-bg" class="bg-gray-500 text-white d-print-none pt-5 shadow"><div class="container"><div class="row justify-content-center justify-content-lg-end align-items-center"><div class="col-12 col-md-6 col-lg-9 mb-4 d-flex justify-content-center justify-content-lg-start align-items-center flex-column flex-sm-row text-center"><div class="ratio ratio-icon-50" style="max-width: 150px"><img src="/img/brand/50-icon-blue.svg" loading="lazy" width="150" 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