WASHINGTON — Local fire and emergency management crews continue to adapt to the challenges brought forth by the pandemic.
Many fire departments in the D.C. region are reporting reductions in staff due to positive COVID-19 test results and quarantining among members.
In Alexandria, roughly 20% of the staff is not available to work due to the spread of the omicron variant and the usual use of leave.
“To help alleviate the strain on staff and in preparation for a potential increase in cases and close contacts requiring quarantine, the Alexandria Fire Department is considering alternate staffing approaches in line with their continuity of operations plans to ensure system-wide coverage for the community,” said Alexandria City Spokesperson Kelly Gilfillen.
In Arlington County, 23 members of fire department staff are currently in isolation, while 14 members of Fairfax Fire & EMS are being isolated as well, according to data provided by both departments.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service shared Tuesday night that they are making service adjustments because of the omicron variant of COVID cases.
A release said they're experiencing a 9% reduction in staff, with 110 career and 23 volunteer personnel unable to report to work and about 75 staff members who can't come in because of other occupational health issues or injuries.
Because of the reduction, a release said they're making some service changes:
- Added recently graduated firefighters, all who came to MCFRS with firefighter and EMT experience, to full shifts, which will augment daily staffing.
- Reassigned firefighters and paramedics currently in training to their community service responsibilities.
- Created an EMS “disposition officer” (EMS700) to ensure load balancing at the local emergency departments
- Requested volunteer partners to staff additional peak time transport units, adding additional transport capacity to the system.
- Prioritized Advanced Life Support care delivery and firefighting water delivery across the County.
- Temporarily redeployed staff from one ladder truck (the Clarksburg Aerial Tower) and one heavy rescue unit (the Laytonsville Rescue Squad)
“The recent surge in COVID cases has affected everyone including our front line first responders and those critical to our public’s health and safety,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “The staffing shortages we are seeing are putting a strain on our emergency response operations. The steps MCFRS is taking will enable extra personnel to fill critical gaps elsewhere without completely removing service from any stations. I want to thank MCFRS for these prudent decisions, wish all sick and isolating employees a speedy recovery, and recognize the hard work of all our firefighters and paramedics during these challenging times."
DC Fire & EMS said 18% of its staff is currently out sick or quarantining due to COVID-19, too. However, DC Fire & EMS spokesperson Jennifer Donelan said staffing was not the reason periodical ambulance shortages occurred in the District Tuesday.
“We did not experience an ambulance ‘shortage’ due to staffing,” Donelan said. “All of our Fire and EMS units are staffed and in service today. This afternoon, we experienced high call volume and long hospital wait times.”
The combination of those issues often tied ambulances providing care in D.C. longer than they normally would.
Donelan said the department’s medical director worked with hospitals to get transport units back out on streets in a timely manner.
“All of our fire engines are staffed by firefighter EMTs with the majority staffed with at least one firefighter paramedic,” she said. “If a fire truck arrives in response to your call for medical help we will provide medical treatment while waiting for an ambulance. Our system is designed this way to get you help quickly.”
D.C. is not the only community experiencing that problem either.
Prince George’s County Fire & EMS says its drop off times at hospitals has increased by roughly 30 minutes over the last month.
“Over the last two months, it took approximately one hour and ten minutes for our Prince George’s County Fire EMS crews to transition patients from their care to emergency department staff,” said PGFD Fire Chief Tiffany Green. “On Monday, that drop-off time went up to one hour and nearly thirty-nine minutes. While we are seeing higher than usual drop-off times, this delay is not due to a staffing shortage on our end. And while the rise in drop-off times delays how quickly our ambulances can return to circulation, we have not experienced any reduction in service."
In Maryland, the hospitalization rate continues to climb as the omicron continues its spread.
According to Maryland health department data, roughly 72 percent of the ICU beds in the state are in use.
A spokesperson for Suburban Hospital, in Bethesda, said that medical center is not experiencing ambulance backups like seen elsewhere in the region.
However, Jessica Melton, President and Chief Operating Officer of Suburban Hospital, said COVID is continuing to make an impact on the hospital nonetheless.
“Suburban Hospital, along with other hospitals in the state of Maryland, is experiencing increasing hospitalizations due to COVID-19 and driven by the variants,” she said. We urge everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated and boosted. We continue to provide safe care for all patients in our hospital, and have protocols and processes in place to address surges in COVID-19 cases, as we have throughout the pandemic. Seeking non-emergency testing in an emergency department diverts critical, life-saving resources from urgent patient needs.”