The Fairfield community has shown its appreciation to first responders during the coronavirus pandemic with a variety of food and equipment donations.
A resident paid for a food truck to feed Fairfield’s fire department for three days, and Taco Bell made a donation. The police department has received pizza multiple times, as well as lunch from Skyline and Lindenwald Station.
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“We feel very appreciated by our community and the businesses in our community,” said Fairfield Deputy Fire Chief Tom Wagner. “It means a lot to our guys, it means a lot that people are thinking of us on the front lines treating and transporting people to the hospital.”
It’s not just food that Fairfield first responders have received, said Wagner. Citizens donated handmade cloth masks this week to the fire department, who shared them with the police officers. Pacific Manufacturing donated 4,000 masks to the fire department. Other businesses have donated various types of personal protection equipment (PPE), such as gloves and N-95 masks.
A business owner volunteered to sanitize marked police units, which police spokesman Officer Doug Day said “took time.”
“This company took time out of their day to get these cars done, and all for free,” he said.
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“It makes me remember that I picked the right place to work,” Day said of the response. “This is a great city. We have our issues, things happen here, but in the end, it’s a great community. They’re going out of their way. A little girl made us cookies and brought them in.”
But Fairfield citizens often “go out of their way” in support of first responders, Day said.
“We always get taken care of by our community, and that’s why we’re always happy to take care of them,” he said.
It’s a two-way street, said Wagner, and is doing their part to support other virus front-line workers.
“It’s all hands on deck,” he said.
Mercy Fairfield needed help weigh down their tents outside their entrance, so the fire department let them use their portable plastic barriers.
Fairfield Police helped keep the spirits high for Mercy Fairfield, erecting a sign that reads “Heroes Work Here.”
“They’re the ones dealing with it every day,” said Day. “And they’re always quick to see us, to make sure we’re getting tested.”
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