The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) penned a letter to the nation’s governors requesting firefighters and emergency medical personnel on the front lines of the battle against COVID-19 be among those given priority access to a vaccine once it is available.
According to the IAFF, over 30,000 firefighters have been exposed to COVID-19 in the line of duty. At least 19 have died.
The IAFF maintains that “adequately vaccinating firefighters and emergency medical responders will… allow such personnel to continue serving their communities during this medical crisis,” as “the virus not only places the lives and health of responders at risk, it also poses a risk to the larger community as well.”
Failing to include firefighters and emergency medical personnel in the group that receives priority vaccines would “[impose] significant costs on local governments as they backfill positions or operate understaffed, increasing response times and negatively impacting public safety.”