Reposted from the City of Seattle Mayor’s Office.

SFD Mobile Vaccination Teams to Vaccinate Adult Family Homes Not Served by the Federal Partnership with CVS/Walgreens

City’s Goal to Vaccinate Nearly 1,000 Adult Family Home Residents and Staff Within Next Two Weeks

SEATTLE (January 12, 2021) – Mayor Jenny A. Durkan today announced new City of Seattle actions to support vaccination efforts in Seattle and Washington state. On January 9, 2021, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) approved the City to serve as a vaccine distributor, meaning the City is eligible to receive weekly shipments of vaccine from DOH and can administer vaccine to Seattle residents and workers. Following this approval, the Seattle Fire Department (SFD) will quickly launch two mobile vaccination teams to vaccinate nearly 1,000 residents and staff at Adult Family Homes (AFHs) within the next two weeks.

“While we had a difficult start to 2021, I believe we have so much hope on the horizon with vaccinations. Seattle continues to have the lowest cases and hospitalizations of every major city, and our bold collective action shows that together we can save lives and combat the pandemic. There is so much at stake to quickly get our communities vaccinated. Most somberly, more than 375,000 people have lost their lives in our country due to the COVID-19 virus. And the burden of the pandemic has fallen disproportionately on our Black, Indigenous, and Latinx communities,” said Mayor Durkan. “We know that Seattle’s road to reopening and economic recovery starts with vaccinations, and today is the first step in the City’s efforts to significantly increase the vaccination rate and ensure the vaccine is easy and accessible to our City’s workers and residents. Even as more of us begin to get vaccinated, we’ll need to continue wearing masks, practicing social distancing, and following all public health guidance.”

The Department of Health granted the City’s application to be a COVID-19 vaccine distributor on Saturday, January 9, 2021. The City will distribute the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, and will request vaccine allocations from DOH weekly. The City has requested a 1,000 dose vaccine allocation for the first week of the SFD mobile vaccination teams; this allocation aligns with the total number of individuals SFD expects to vaccinate within the next two weeks.

“It is crucial that we step up efforts to rapidly vaccinate vulnerable Seattle residents. The City of Seattle has shown true leadership in the fight against coronavirus from the start, in the absence of federal coordination. Early on, we stood up City-run COVID testing sites that have provided more than 560,000 free tests for Seattle residents, thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the Seattle Fire Department, coordinating with Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, Public Health – Seattle & King County, Finance & Administration Services, Seattle Police Department, and others. This new effort to speed vaccination will save lives and help us not replicate the unacceptable disparities we have seen in infection rates in BIPOC communities,” said Councilmember Lisa Herbold (District 1, West Seattle and South Park).

The Seattle Fire Department’s mobile vaccination teams have a goal of vaccinating nearly 1,000 residents and staff at Adult Family Homes (AFHs) within the next two weeks. SFD will begin vaccinating AFHs Thursday, January 14, 2021. The mobile vaccination teams will be comprised of two registration technicians and one firefighter/EMT or firefighter/paramedic, and the two teams expect to vaccinate 10 AFHs per day. The SFD teams will vaccinate AFHs not served by the federal government’s partnership with CVS/Walgreens, and locations were identified in partnership with Public Health – Seattle & King County.

Based on vaccine supply, the SFD teams expect to vaccinate every AFH in Seattle not served by the federal program by January 24, 2021, with the second dose provided at each home by February 21, 2021. SFD will vaccinate both residents and workers at each AFH. AFHs serve both older adults and people with disabilities. 

“Seattle Fire is the first fire and emergency medical services agency in the state to be approved to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. At the beginning of the pandemic, we sought approval to test community members for COVID-19, and we are prepared to pivot our work again to help in this new capacity. Through our Mobile Vaccination Team program, we will be able to deploy to congregate facilities to administer the vaccine to those who need it most. I am proud of our members for stepping up to serve others once again, and know that through widespread vaccination, we can save lives … and we can end this,” said Fire Chief Harold Scoggins.

“For almost one year, the CoVID-19 Prevention Network has worked to ensure that the National Institutes of Health-funded vaccine trials included participants that represent the diversity in this country. We can now say that we have efficacious vaccines that work for all of us,” said Michele Andrasik, Ph.D., Director of Social & Behavioral Science Research and Community Engagement at Fred Hutch. “The vaccines, however, will not improve the health of our communities. Vaccination – people actually getting the vaccines – is what is needed to see an impact on COVID severe illness and death, disproportionately experienced by Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.”

Based on vaccine supply, the City of Seattle can broaden its mobile vaccination efforts during the interim period between the first and second vaccination dose at the initial group of AFHs. The City’s expanded effort will likely focus on partnerships with community-based organizations and providers who serve older adults who may be unable to receive a vaccine through traditional health care systems. As vaccines become more widely available to the City of Seattle or other providers in Seattle, the City is prepared to partner and launch mass vaccination hubs – similar to the existing mass testing sites. More information will be available in the coming days.

The State Department of Health – based in part on national best practices – determines who is eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, and when they are eligible. Currently, Washington is in phases A1 and A2 of the vaccination effort, in which high-risk workers in health care settings, high-risk first responders, and long-term care facility residents are eligible to get the vaccine. Later in January, Washington will begin phase B1, in which all people over 70 years old and people over 50 years old who live in multi-generational households (households that include more than one generation) are eligible to get vaccinated. For more information on vaccination phases, please visit https://coronavirus.wa.gov/.

Even as more residents get vaccinated, public health measures like social distancing, wearing a mask, and washing your hands remain critical. Please continue to follow all public health guidance, and visit this website from Public Health – Seattle & King County for more information.

Residents and businesses can find a list of existing COVID-19 relief resources and policies on this website.

The King County Fire Chiefs Association Executive Board travelled to several locations in the county this week to recognize fire personnel who have gone above and beyond to serve others. Several of our personnel were nominated to receive awards through the newly developed Distinguished Service Awards program, and we are proud to announce that multiple Seattle Fire members were selected as winners. This is an incredible honor, as each of these individuals were competing against a large number of personnel nominated in each category from across the county. Congratulations to all!

• Chief of the Year – Fire Chief Harold Scoggins
• Firefighter of the Year – Acting Lieutenant Josh Materi
• Special Recognition for COVID-19 community testing development – Acting Captain Brian Wallace
• Special Recognition for excellent medical direction during COVID-19 – SFD Medical Director Dr. Michael Sayre, King County Medical Director Dr. Thomas Rea

With the rollout of vaccines now underway, it’s only a matter of time before the raging pandemic of 2020 will be in our rearview mirror. As we look ahead to 2021, make a New Year’s Resolution to keep yourself and your family safe throughout the year.

Check out our quick list of monthly fire safety and injury prevention tips. We’ll share more information on each of these topics throughout the year.

January – Keep a ready supply of de-icer on hand to prevent slips and falls on icy decks, stairs, driveways and sidewalks
February – Check your hot water heater thermostat to prevent burns and scalds. It can happen in seconds.

March – March 14: Spring Ahead – move your clocks forward one hour. Check your smoke alarms to make sure they’re working!
April – Move beds and furniture away from windows to prevent your toddler from falling out.
May – Get your child’s car seat inspected by the safety experts at Children’s Hospital.
June – Sign up for a CPR class – free through Medic Two. Practice your home escape plan and know two ways out of every room.

July – Celebrate Independence Day safely – leave fireworks to the professionals.
August – Be safe when summer grilling. Follow our tips for safe BBQs with family and friends.
September – Refresh your emergency preparedness kit and practice drop, cover and hold in case of earthquake.
October – October 3-9: Fire Prevention week – Check your carbon monoxide alarm. If it’s more than 7 years old, replace the entire unit.

November – Nov 7: Fall Back – move your clocks back one hour and test your smoke alarms! Get your chimney inspected and cleaned as cooler weather begins.
December – Keep the holiday merry and bright – don’t let unattended candles or dry trees catch the house on fire.

Thinking ahead will ensure everyone in your household stays happy, safe and sound for the coming year.

SEATTLE – On Dec. 15 Paramedic Alan Goto – a 22-year veteran of the Seattle Fire Department – became the first department member to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. He received the first shot of the FDA-authorized Pfizer vaccination alongside several other healthcare workers at the UW Medical Center in north Seattle.

“As public servants who have chosen to dedicate ourselves to protecting our community, getting vaccinated is the most relevant thing we can do in this moment to fulfill our commitment to serving the public,” said paramedic Alan Goto.

Alan joined the Seattle Fire Department in 1998 and has spent the last nine years working as a paramedic, responding to patients suffering heart attacks, strokes, major injury, and other critical medical emergencies, including complications from COVID-19. When the pandemic hit the western Washington region in late February 2020, Alan was one of the first fire department members to step up to the challenge of changing the way we serve others.

In April 2020, the City, in partnership with Public Health, began testing those who were suffering the worst consequences from COVID-19: those living in or working at long-term care facilities and adult homes. Alan worked on the department’s Mobile Assessment Teams, which went into these facilities to test patients and staff to help identify COVID-19 clusters and stop outbreaks. He also helped to train the qualified staff at these facilities to be able to manage and maintain their own testing. The Mobile Assessment Teams were recognized nationally as an innovative model for addressing the emerging pandemic.

Finally, once more test kits became available and with public health guidance, the City transitioned to opening community testing sites to conduct tests on the public through a partnership with the UW. Alan has served as one of the nasopharyngeal swabbers at the test sites, which have conducted over 475,000 tests to date, and upwards of 6,000 people per day.

“Alan’s commitment to fulfilling our mission of serving others has been significant during this pandemic. He has dedicated a considerable amount of time testing members of the public as a previous leader of our Mobile Assessment Teams, and works frequently as a nasal swabber at our test sites. And now, I’m so proud of Alan for taking the next step to ending this pandemic – being our first member to get vaccinated,” said Fire Chief Harold Scoggins.

“Our first responders have protected and served our residents during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Alan and so many others at the Seattle Fire Department have led the way to create robust free citywide testing to protect our community,” said Mayor Durkan. “It will take some time to fully vaccinate the public. For now, the best way we can keep our emergency responders safe is by making smart public health choices like avoiding social gatherings and wearing masks. Together, we can keep the spread of COVID-19 low while we work to vaccinate our entire community.”

“The Seattle Fire Department EMTs and the Seattle Medic One paramedics have continued to deliver excellent medical care despite the challenges of exposure to COVID-19,” said Michael Sayre, MD, Medical Director for the Seattle Fire Department. “We are thrilled that our EMS workforce is able to receive this highly effective and safe vaccine. We look forward to the day when everyone can be vaccinated.”

In addition to workers and residents of Long Term Care Facilities, health care workers, emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics will be among the first vaccinated, due to their position of treating potential COVID-19 positive patients. Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses, with several weeks in between administration.

SEATTLE – On Dec. 14 just after 11 a.m., firefighters were dispatched to the 3800 Block of 39^th Ave. S. for a private company construction worker who was trapped in a trench and needed rescuing. Engine 30 and Ladder 12 arrived first on scene and found an adult male pinned against the foundation of a house by an old cement staircase that had collapsed approximately 8-10 feet in the ditch. Prior to SFD arrival, a few neighbors heard the man yelling and stepped in to help by utilizing boards to help pry the cement stairs away from the patient, taking some of the pressure off.

Crews worked quickly to put a plan into place to begin removing the cement pile off of the man. They placed a ladder over the trench and lowered a rope, wrapping it around the cement block, and began to twist the rope to slowly move it off of him. Simultaneously, firefighters dug with their hands and shovels to remove the dirt that had piled around him. Rescue 1 arrived on scene and began to put shoring equipment in place, to stabilize the trench on both sides. This helped to ensure improved safety for firefighters working in the trench.

After about 30 minutes, the patient was extricated and transported by paramedics to Harborview Medical Center in stable condition. Trench rescues are a low frequency, high risk event, and require an immense amount of technical skill to safely conduct a rescue. Due to the crew’s efficient work of securing the trench area and freeing the trapped patient, he only sustained non-life threatening injuries.