What steps should Fire and EMS departments take to avoid contracting the disease?

The National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center makes the following recommendations:

• Follow the “identify, isolate, and inform” strategy to reduce exposure. 
• Be alert for patients who have illness and a rash consistent with mpox, regardless of the risk of exposure or travel histories.
• Be aware that mpox infection begins with flu-like symptoms and may result in lesions and rashes that are hard to distinguish from syphilis, herpes simplex virus, chancroid, varicella zoster, and more common infections.
• Be aware that people with close personal contact with mpox patients also could be at risk of infection.
• Take a combination of standard, contact, and droplet precautions in all settings when a patient presents with fever and vesicular/pustular rash.
• Personal protective equipment should be donned before entering the room or making contact with a potential patient with mpox. Minimize the number of personnel who are exposed.
• If mpox is suspected, please consult with your local health department, and notify the hospital while enroute.