Some medical first responders still waiting for priority vaccine in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia firefighters trained in medical response were told by the province they would be vaccinated as a priority group, but it seems some have yet to be contacted even though they have returned to responding to medical emergencies.

This means that some medical first responders are already getting vaccinated with the general population, while others continue to wait. Public health was unable to provide sector-specific data on how many medical first responders (MFRS) have been vaccinated, but said those waiting will be contacted.

“Invitations are being issued to all medical first responders to schedule their appointments for the vaccine,” said spokesperson Heather Fairbairn, in an email. “The invitations are going out in batches of 1,000 and will continue over the coming days and weeks.”

MFRS returning to medical calls

When COVID first started, Nova Scotia firefighters trained as medical first responders were called off from attending medical emergencies due to a lack of personal protection equipment (PPE). Over recent months remaining brigades have each sent six MFRS to complete the training and have returned to making cardiac arrest calls.

“EHS Operations began a phased-in approach to train and mask fit-test responders at MFR agencies in September, allowing them to come back online and respond to cardiac arrest calls,” Charbel Daniel, EHS’S executive director of Provincial Operations, said in an email. “By the end of April, we have offered mask fit-testing to all MFR agencies in Nova Scotia which will mark the end of phase three.”

Although not all firefighters are currently trained as MFRS, many do respond as frontline workers to scenes such as motor vehicle collisions and fires where they do not know the history of people they are attending to.

During a COVID briefing on Wednesday, April 28, Nova Scotia’s medical officer of health Dr. Robert Strang initially said all paramedics and MFRS had been vaccinated. He later clarified his comment to say most had been.

“We’re actively in the process,” said Strang. “Most first responders will already have had their first dose, and we’re actually immunizing police officers as well.”

However, calls to fire brigades in Colchester County have confirmed that they have not had any priority clinics. Truro News contacted several fire brigades, including Salmon River, North River, Brookfield, Onslow Belmont and Tatamagouche, who confirmed they had not been contacted yet about receiving the vaccine.

“I did hear that we were supposed to get a priority but I didn’t hear nothing back, so I booked one myself for the time being,” said Salmon River fire chief Blaine Mcnutt.

In a later press conference, Strang said he was unaware of the issue of MFRS not having vaccinations.

“My understanding is there is a program (for) MFRS - for people listening, it’s not all volunteer firefighters, there are certain firefighters usually in the volunteer departments, you have advanced training and their medical first responders - and we’ve had a program to get them all immunized.”

Some now eligible, communication breakdown

Medical first responders are listed as a priority group within phase one of the vaccine rollout plan on the government website.

“I’m sure it’s in the works,” said Tatamagouche fire chief Mark Langille. “They’re doing the best they can and there’s a lot of groups that need to get done, but we’ll get done in due course, I guess.”

Public health also recognizes that MFRS may get the opportunity to sign up with their age cohort. Over 25 per cent of Nova Scotians have received their first dose.

“We encourage all Nova Scotians to take advantage of the first vaccine opportunity they may be eligible to receive,” Fairbairn said.

During a check-in yesterday morning with the eight fire departments in Colchester North, MLA Karen Casey listened to their concerns.

“A couple of the chiefs said that they have some younger members who would not yet qualify,” said Casey. “But we know when we’re looking at how quickly this is moving, from ages 80 to 70, to 60, to 50, to 40, that we’re soon going to be capturing those junior members, so to speak, who are not yet vaccinated.”

Casey said she is contacting EHS and Public Health to find out where there may have been a breakdown in communication. Fire departments were told by EHS that public health would be contacting them to coordinate appointments.

“If there was something that EHS was expecting and expecting that somebody would reach out to the fire department, if for some reason that didn’t happen, I need to find out where and why and what the breakdown was,” said Casey.

Cumberland South MLA Tory Rushton has also heard from firefighters in his area and wants the promise of vaccinating MFRS followed through. He said he is aware of some MFRS having gotten vaccinated, but has not seen any consistency in who has been contacted.

“I’m not sure where the case is falling short with the communications between the department and the government, but there was a promise made to the firefighters that are frontline services,” said Rushton, who has past involvement in fire services. “I would say all of our firefighters should have had access as engaged frontline workers along with other groups, but we didn’t see that.”

He said Daniel Gaudet, president of the Fire Service Association of Nova Scotia, will be checking in with fire brigades to see who has been contacted by public health.