Staff Reports
With expectations being that COVID-19 will strain the health care system, expect some reinforcements from outside the field.
Jimmy Patronis, the state’s CFO and Fire Marshal, said that “as health care services throughout Florida become further strained, Florida firefighters may be used to supplement health care and logistical operations.”
“No doubt,” added Patronis, “the need for more beds, more supplies, and more personnel with medical experience will be needed as cases of COVID-19 continue to grow.”
Among the areas firefighters could supplement: drive-thru testing, which will be ramping up statewide in the coming days.
Patronis said that “although drive-thru testing has not been fully deployed on a statewide level, should this policy be executed, firefighters and other first responders will be needed.”
“Whether helping with traffic, triaging individuals with fevers vs. individuals who are not symptomatic, or supporting any other of the many missions that are needed for a massive undertaking, Florida first responders must be prepared for any containment and mitigation strategies that may require their expertise,” Patronis added.
Patronis’ commitment offers yet another example of state resources being stretched in surprising ways.
The Division of Emergency Management said Tuesday that it is ordering additional supplies and personal protective equipment to try to mitigate and contain the spread of COVID-19 in the state.
Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz has requested thousands of supplies from the federal government, including 5,000 ventilators, 50,000 containers of hand sanitizer, 500,000 gloves and 2 million N95 face masks.
The state says the supplies are being delivered on a rolling basis and inventory is being distributed across the state 24 hours a day.
The state has three field hospitals, with one currently staged in Orlando. The second is on its way to Broward County and the last one is headed to Ocala. They can be deployed to other areas as needed.
