Exposed to COVID-19, Local Patrolman Becomes Inaugural Resident of ‘First Responder Refuge’

After being exposed to COVID-19, patrolman John Freas of Birmingham Township became the inaugural resident of the “first responder refuge” created at the Glen Mills Schools by officials from neighboring Delaware County, writes Vinny Vella for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Freas received a 911 call to help an unresponsive elderly man with a history of heart issues. However, when he made it to the man’s home, he found him alert, awake, and coughing. The patrolman was notified the next morning that the man had tested positive for COVID-19 and told to self-quarantine at home.

To protect his wife and granddaughters, he decided to stay at the refuge. This has been designed to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and put first responders at ease while they continue to do their work. His room came equipped with a laptop, WiFi, and a private bathroom. Meals and snacks are also provided, and nurses come regularly to check his temperature.

“I can’t applaud them enough,” said Freas. “It’s a place where you can go and be safe and not endanger your family.”

Read more about the first responder refuge in The Philadelphia Inquirer here.

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