HOUSTON — As a COVID-19 outbreak continues to bear down on the city of El Paso, Houston firefighters have been sent to West Texas to help.
Firefighters are operating mobile medical units created to relieve the strain on hospitals overrun by coronavirus patients.
A third mobile morgue has been ordered to house El Paso County's dead as the death toll is expected to rise.
Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena said seven Houston first responders have been sent to help.
El Paso’s hospital system has been overrun by the coronavirus.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott requested last week that Beaumont Army Medical Center at Fort Bliss be allowed to accept civilian patients.
Firefighters with HFD are operating the mobile medical units sent to El Paso by the governor. Pena said the assistance of HFD firefighters will not interfere with the department’s operations in Houston.