JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department employees are expected to start vaccinating the public for COVID-19 as early as next month, but that’s not until they get the vaccine themselves.
More firefighters are expected to get the shot starting Monday.
JFRD Chief Keith Powers says 1,600 JFRD employees will get vaccinated at the Prime Osborne Convention Center, where a special clinic has been set up. The city says this is important because the 900 paramedics will be giving the vaccine to the public as early as next month.
Last week, the first group of JFRD employees -- about 25 people, including Powers -- received their first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Powers says he hopes this will set an example for the department.
“I wasn’t concerned about it at all. To tell you how bad it bothered me, well, I went home yesterday afternoon and split a load of firewood,” Powers said Wednesday. “I tell the leadership team here and the chiefs that ride in the field: Our No. 1 job is to send these men and women home to their families safe every day. And this is just another way we can do that.”
His employees are not required to get the shot, but he says that since the start of the pandemic, 282 JFRD employees have tested positive for COVID-19.
Our first responders began receiving the COVID-19 vaccine today. This will help protect the public when @jfrdjax responds to emergencies. They will also be assisting the state by administering the vaccine to Jacksonville citizens. I'm very grateful for their service & sacrifices pic.twitter.com/muoo6HCO7r
— Lenny Curry (@lennycurry) December 23, 2020
“This will help protect the public when JFRD responds to emergencies. They will also be assisting the state by administering the vaccine to Jacksonville citizens. I’m very grateful for their service & sacrifices,” Mayor Lenny Curry tweeted last week.
It’s expected to take at least six days to vaccinate about 1,600 JFRD employees. Then they will need a second dose in several weeks.