essential workforce taking precautions

Many essential businesses across the country are taking extra precautions to keep their current employees healthy.

Wednesdaral new york with milder air looking to return themselves and the public they serve healthy.

As the coronavirus spreads, businesses and first responders are changing their protocols to keep in line with new state and federal regulations.

News channel 2's brent kearney now joins us live in the studio to tell us what changes are being done.

The businesses that i talked to are taking the coronavirus very seriously including us right here at wktv.

Captain philip taurisano of the utica fire department says alot has changed within the firehouse.

The noticeable changes come when responding to a call.

All starting with a patients first contact to dispatch.

"the dispatchers are doing a very good job of interrogation of a patient.

So they have a specific set of questions, they're doing ...emergency medical dispatch.

And now they are asking ifif you ha any flu like symptoms, do you haions, they're doing ...emergency medical dispatch.

And now they are asking if you have any flu like symptoms, do you have any body aches things like that."

De fire fighters are also now using specific equipment to prevent the spread of thefar as hazmat tape on the inswipes aret some of the items that are being utilized.

Fire fighters even went as far as putting hazmat tape on the inside cab door to prevent contamination.

"we're trying to keep the front of the ambulance for our guys.

And as clean as possible, obviously it still gets cleaned everyday but we are just trying to avoid any extra contamination up there."

"nats of pump" gas statwe have alot of hand sa whenever we are just handling cash, we keep the gloves on."

"nats katrina" watching at home you may also taking measures of theihave noticed a few changes here at wktv.

"we changed alot of the camera shots you dont see anchors sitting next to each other."

But its what you dont see ontv.

"we changed alot of the camera shots youe use to clean and ing next to each other."

But its what you dont seehift change, 've changed the most.

Non essential personnel nows and trying to keep d cleaning has been increased.

"we've upped the freerve you "our job to inform the public is ean and how frequently we do clean.

Multiple clo keep our staff safe , the vehciles etc just following the cdc guidour operations g to keep the place as clean as possible."

Staying our staff is you "our job to inform the public is now more impll safe and we are getting till need to keep our staff safe at the same time.conveyed."

E going to continue our operations and we are modifying i it day by day t:00--a local school staff is