YMCA Camp Cosby to serve as quarantine location for first responders

ALPINE, Ala. (WIAT) — After wrapping up its summer camp schedule last month, YMCA Camp Cosby is now preparing to welcome first responders.

Starting Monday, the camp will open its 18 cabins to first responders who may have been exposed to COVID-19. The camp also will provide food for those staying there.

“We believe that with the pressures that these first responders and these medical heroes have, we can provide a free, great space to relax and say that we can take care of you,” Camp Cosby executive director Steve Merifield said. “And I think that’s a great thing to be able to do.”

Camp staffers have spent the last week deep cleaning cabins, restocking cleaning supplies and hand sanitizer, and preparing their dining facilities to serve first responders. Merifield said the camp has the ideal setup to serve as a quarantine location.

“It’s really easy for us to do, especially with our cabin layout being all separate, with separate bathrooms, showers, air conditioning, one person per structure, allows us to do that,” he said.

The camp is offering the service in conjunction with the Jefferson County Unified Command, which will refer first responders to the camp. Merifield said he’s happy to offer the camp’s services because he considers first responders to be medical heroes.

“For someone to come out and just to be here and let us take care of them and they don’t have to worry and they know they’re safe and their family is safe, I think it’s a great way to support them and say thank you,” he said. “So that’s really the whole mindset behind it.”

Merifield said the cabins will remain open as a quarantine location as long as it’s needed.