Delta firefighters administering thousands of COVID-19 vaccines

Delta’s firefighters have played a big role along with health professionals in administering COVID-19 vaccinations.

Mayor George Harvie, at council this week, gave acknowledgement to Delta Fire Department personnel assisting with the vaccinations, saying 47 firefighters are currently trained to vaccinate.

As of last Friday, they had 111 shifts and administered nearly 10,000 doses.

“Thanks to these firefighters for taking on this duty, which has freed up nurses from the vaccination effort to focus on work in hospitals where they are so needed,” said Harvie. “We’re looking forward to continuing our support for the vaccination effort with firefighters pitching in for the upcoming months.”

Harvie added one firefighter worked at a clinic with an intensive care unit nurse who works in a COVID-19 ward, and that nurse said she had lost five patients to the disease in a four-hour span.

She could no longer be spared administering vaccines because her ward was too busy.

Harvie said the effort is helping accelerate the number of people getting vaccinated.

With additional vaccine supplies arriving, the plan for the North Delta Recreation vaccine clinic site is to move the immunization activity into the ice rink area of the facility.

On hand for the council meeting via Zoom, Fire Chief Guy McKintuck said firefighters have done an amazing job and, after talking to each of them, they expressed appreciation for being able to help out with the provincial response.

He noted that firefighters in other municipalities in the Lower Mainland are also helping the vaccine effort.

Harvie said it’s good to see the COVID-19 numbers appear on a downward trend, but people must remember to continue to their part and follow safety protocols, as well as register for a vaccine.