By Ashley Moss
Staff Writer
The City of Dallas began administering COVID-19 vaccinations for the city’s first responders, including those in the Dallas Fire-Rescue (DFR), the Dallas Police Department (DPD) and the Dallas City Marshals.
The vaccinations were made available as part of an allocation of 2,000 Moderna COVID-19 vaccines from the Texas Department of State Health Services.
“We’ve crossed a threshold of 402 members that have tested positive for COVID-19 and we’ve had to quarantine well over 800 members,” said Dallas Fire Rescue Chief Dominique Artis. “To get these vaccines for our members means the world to us.”
In the weeks leading up to the vaccine allocation, DFR, DPD and the Office of Emergency Management put together a plan for a drive-thru style vaccination process using a parking garage at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
The process consists of a check-in, vaccination stations, made up of strike teams (two paramedics and one documentation officer) specially trained to administer the vaccine, and an evaluation area where members can be monitored for potential side-effects before leaving.
First responders who participate will be automatically scheduled for their second round of the vaccine in 28 days and the process also includes a plan for tracking, to be done electronically.
The City has the resources to vaccinate up to 250 first responders per day and expects this first Moderna allocation to be followed in the coming months by additional vaccines to immunize the remaining City of Dallas first responders.
