Clackamas Fire began vaccinating front-line firefighters and paramedics Monday, with plans to continue throughout the week
Four hundred doses of the Moderna vaccine have been made available through Clackamas County Public Health and will be used to immunize Clackamas Fire personnel and first responders from area public safety agencies over the next few weeks.
Those agencies include Gladstone Fire, Hoodland Fire, Sandy Fire, Gladstone Police Department, Milwaukie Police Department, Oregon City Police Department, Sandy Police Department, Happy Valley Code Enforcement and the Life Flight Network.
“Partnering with Clackamas County Public Health allows Clackamas Fire to access the needed vaccinations to help keep our first responders safe and healthy, as we continue to respond to the needs of the communities we serve,” Fire Chief Fred Charlton said in a press release.
The vaccination process will include distribution points staffed by Clackamas Fire, which will help move personnel safely and efficiently through the vaccine process.
Clack Fire is also currently involved in community distribution of the flu vaccine for at-risk groups and has plans to assist Clackamas County Public Health in vaccinating members of the public for Covid-19, as doses become available and a timeline is established.
As firefighters and paramedics begin to be vaccinated, officials say Clackamas Fire will remain diligent in taking the steps necessary to keep the community safe, including the continued use of face coverings.
Canby, Molalla, Colton and Aurora fire personnel received the vaccine at clinics hosted on Jan. 4 and 5, along with Canby and Molalla police officers and other support staff.
The vaccines distributed at these events were also Moderna doses provided by Clackamas County.
Vaccines have also been made available to staff and residents at Canby’s long-term care facilities, though this has been part of a separate distribution process handled by Consonus Pharmacy.