KANSAS CITY, Mo. — More than half of calls the Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department responds to are medical, but firefighters are not included in the first phase of the state's COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan.
Currently, the vaccine only is available to long-term care facility residents and staff, as well as "patient-facing" health care workers.
But KCFD Fire Chief Donna Lake said that should apply to firefighters, given 76% of their calls are medical.
"It is surprising that that we’re not being treated as 1A [in the vaccine distribution plan] because we are a direct patient care provider," Lake said. "You know, when they respond to those calls, they are meeting that patient in the field, often times not knowing whether or not the patient has COVID... and it could be a car accident and they have some other injury or illness that doesn’t present itself like COVID and then [the firefighters] find out later that person was positive."
Missouri firefighters, including EMTs and paramedics, are not eligible for the vaccine until the next phase, according to the state's vaccine distribution plan.
A 41 Action News request for an interview with Gov. Mike Parson to inquire why was denied, and his press secretary only stated that firefighters are covered under Phase 1B, not the current Phase 1A.
Lake said KCFD runs about 380 calls a day, many being EMS calls, which made the decision to leave her profession out of this first round all the more concerning.
"I don’t want to speak ill of anybody, the governor or the state medical director. I mean, they have risks, benefits and choices that have to be made," Lake said. "But, when you see governors across the country realizing that your firefighters and EMTs and paramedics are patient-facing all day, every day, prior to hospital arrival? It’s a little disheartening that we were pushed down to 1B. We'd hoped we would be in 1A."
Meanwhile, in Kansas, Wyandotte County set up a vaccination distribution site last week for EMS workers who aren't affiliated with a hospital. Janell Friesen, the Unified Government of Wyandotte County Public Health Department, said in accordance with Kansas Department of Health and Environment guidance, the county is "ensuring that local health department staff and EMS have the first opportunity to get vaccinated in this initial round of vaccines."
Friesen said that EMS workers who can receive the vaccine now must be actively working day-to-day in EMS.
In Johnson County, the Department of Health and Environment has started vaccinating paramedics "who are first responders on scene with Med Act," according to a spokesperson.
As for firefighters in KCMO, Lake said at last check, they've been told they likely won't have access to the vaccine till early February.
