First responders anxiously await their turn for the vaccine around St. Louis region
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ST. LOUIS, MO (KMOV) — On Thursday, police officers, firefighters and paramedics shuffled in and out of the St. Charles County Ambulance District to get their first dose of the vaccine.
“Relief. I’m ready to see everything go up from here, in the district, in the county, in the nation, in the world,” said Chelsae Oleze.
The St. Charles County Ambulance District applied with the state to distribute the vaccine, hoping to speed up the process to protect those on the front lines. They received 975 doses this week.
“We said we have to step up to the plate to make sure our people are taken care of,” said Assistant Chief David Lewis.
In St. Louis County, the health department is still working on a plan to vaccinate the 1,000 members of the county police department.
Some St. Louis County firefighters and paramedics have already received doses through the hospital systems.
In St. Louis City, 300 firefighters and EMS received vaccines thanks to South City Hospital, formerly St. Alexius, after they had extra doses.
“They were excited, actually a couple of firefighters took it upon themselves to get their chainsaw out and trimmed two of our trees badly in need of trimming. So they were very very grateful,” said Gregory Brentano, the hospital CEO.
St. Louis City said they hope to get their first shipment of vaccine in the coming days. They ordered 5,000 doses but know they won’t get all of them at once. But they hope with the doses they can begin vaccinating police, fire, corrections and airport police.
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