As the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic continues to spread, the Valley Stream Fire Department is taking steps to ensure it can continue to operate during a time when the disease threatens to overwhelm emergency services across the state.
As part of a countywide change in dispatching protocols, when someone calls 911 they will be required to answer a series of questions to ascertain whether an ambulance is truly necessary, and reduce stress on department and county emergency medical services. “What we’re trying to do is let people know that if they do feel like they have the signs of Covid-19 that they should try and call their doctor first,” Valley Stream Fire Chief Jason Croak said, advising that home quarantine should be the first step before taking others.