Safety Officer Returns Home To Maple Grove After Providing Medical Support Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A fire marshal from Maple Grove is back home after helping provide medical support to evacuees from Wuhan, China, amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Gregory Bodin worked at the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego where evacuees underwent mandatory 14-day quarantines.

The first plane of evacuees from Wuhan landed on Feb. 5, while another landed on Feb. 7.

"The 232 returning passengers were tired, but very thankful the U.S. government brought them to the U.S.," said Dr. Helga Scharf-Bell, the National Disaster Medical System's Acting Director.

In San Diego, all evacuees were closely monitored and assessed for symptoms of the virus by 160 personnel, including physicians, nurses, paramedics, and public affairs specialists.

"The response to this rapidly evolving outbreak required a tremendous amount of interagency support, collaboration, and coordination," said Jonathan Greene, an Emergency Management and Medical Operations director.

Bodin is a member of the National Disaster Medical Assistance team.

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services says he will now undergo daily monitoring for 14 days post-deployment.