Here we are in the middle of another COVID-19 uptick thanks to the delta variant. It has been a long year for everyone and firefighters and EMS folks are no different. One thing I have learned throughout this pandemic is that we all have different opinions about this subject. We have those who feel masking and vaccinations are the keys to get us beyond this outbreak. Yet others do not believe masking helps and they will not take the vaccine for many different personal reasons. I fall somewhere in the middle. I have been vaccinated fully by the Moderna vaccine. I wear a mask where it is required but I honestly don’t believe any mask that is not an N95 or above is protecting anyone. I tested positive for COVID-19 at the end of May after 17 months of transporting COVID-19 patients in an ambulance for up to an hour at a time in that closed space. Did I get it on a call? No, one of my unvaccinated firefighters gave it to me while sitting at the kitchen table in the station. My symptoms were very mild and I contribute that to being fully vaccinated back in January.
As a fire chief in a rural community that is the county seat, I have been put in a position by my boss to act as the city COVID-19 authority. I am not a doctor or an epidemiologist I am just a 30-year firefighter and a paramedic. Many of you may have the same story or responsibility for your city or district.
So having my own beliefs sometimes is at odds with the message my employer wants to put out to the general public. I struggle with how to stay compliant with my employer’s wishes while still not compromising my own beliefs. So, this is the method I use to try to get the message out to the public in a way that I can feel good about. First, I supply the public with the information that is available such as what the current mandates for our city or county are. I try to give them good information about the current infection rates in our city. I relay locations where you can get tested or even get the vaccine. What I don’t do is insist or bully anyone to see my point of view as far as the general public is concerned.
Inside my firehouse, we have a few unvaccinated folks both career and volunteer. These folks all know my feelings about getting the vaccine, but they also know that I will not try to force anyone to get it. I do see a day sometime in the future where someone will force us all to become vaccinated. This is starting to play out in the military and many hospitals in our country.
When I got into the fire service it was not to be the guy who sets the example for the general public. I just wanted to put out fires, provide EMS, and help my community. Bobby Halton in a speech at FDIC 21 referred to firefighters as superheroes. He said like it or not that is how much of the public looks at firefighters. His challenge to all in the room was to not let those folks down. Set a good example, be trustworthy, and do your part to keep your community safe. Stay on message but don’t compromise your values.
FFAM
