SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. — The prison union that represents Federal Correctional Facility staff members at the Coleman Complex are planning to invoke negotiations over coronavirus concerns.

• Staff, inmates at Coleman complex concerned with COVID-19 response
• Workers say there's a lack of personal protective equipment available
• COMPLETE COVID-19 COVERAGE: Spectrum News | CDC | Florida DOH

Spectrum News 13 has been investigating the Sumter County federal correctional facility for several months.

The facility had a Legionnaire’s Outbreak earlier this year, and now inmates and staff say they are very concerned with how the facility is handling COVID-19.

To prevent the spread of the coronavirus, visitors are no longer allowed at the Federal Correctional Complex in Sumter County.

The facility currently houses more than 4,000 inmates and staff.

Jose Rojas is the Southeast Regional Vice President for the Council of Prisons — the union that represents staff at the Coleman Complex and others.

Rojas says he is receiving emails from frustrated staff daily over the lack of personal protective equipment available.

"(We need) the equipment so we can protect ourselves like a mask, gloves, hand sanitizers — basic stuff that we need — because we’re in close contact with these inmates,” he said.

Spectrum News 13 asked the Bureau of Prisons about these concerns.

A spokesman denied the claims saying, “An abundance of personal protective equipment, including N-95 masks, gloves … and cleaning products continue to be supplied without shortages at FCC Coleman.”

Currently, two BOP staff members are presumed positive for COVID-19. While neither are located in Florida, Rojas says staff are worried, especially since the Coleman Complex is the largest facility in the United States, and the CDC is calling for social distancing.

A BOP spokesman says all prisons have now implemented the pandemic Influenza contingency plan. But Rojas feels the BOP has handled this situation poorly.

"I give a complete F. That is my opinion. I am not happy with the way they handled it. I think they started a little bit too late,” he said.

Inmates and their families told us they’re also worried. We spoke with Marc Brodeur, whose wife is currently an inmate at the women’s minimum security facility.

Brodeur says his wife is one of the inmates who tested positive for Legionnaire’s Disease — an upper respiratory illness with some similar symptoms to COVID-19.

“I know that my wife in particular has told me she is scared. She has been sick. She’s started to feel better but she knows if this were to hit the facility, there’s nothing she had do to stop it. There’s nothing she can do to protect herself,” he said.

There are no plans to begin releasing people.

While some county jails are letting non-violent offenders out early, the Bureau of Prisons says there is no provision in federal law to allow them to reduce a prison sentence.