TEXAS—USDA Forest Service employees began giving COVID-19 vaccinations last week at the Texas Motor Speedway in Denton, Texas. They were the first emergency medical service personnel mobilized through Emergency Support Function #4 to do so. Now, our EMS personnel and cooperators are also vaccinating the public in Arizona and California, with Delaware and New York soon to follow.

“The call is often for hand crews, incident management teams, or positions more widespread in wildland fire,” said Gordy Sachs, ESF #4 national coordinator. “This dramatic need for so many responders with EMS qualifications is a little new for us, and it’s significant in more ways than one. We may need to provide as many as 1,000 vaccinators from the Forest Service and our DOI partners over the next few months.”

ESF #4 is the Firefighting Annex under the National Response Framework. It is the mechanism through which the Forest Service supports FEMA needs in all-hazard incidents, such as declared for the National COVID Vaccine Campaign and State COVID Vaccination Support.

It’s likely that Jeremiah Haddix gave our first shot in the vaccination campaign, though he’s not claiming credit. The dozer operator from the Savannah River is a qualified fireline medic.

“It probably was me,” Haddix said, “though I can’t say for sure.”

He went on to talk about the good organization at the site, which had been up and running for several days before ESF #4 resources arrived. Organizers were able to admit patients using a quick response or “QR” code. After an initial health screening, patients received the vaccination in 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the number of patients at the site.

Janet Anderson is one of 12 other EMTs assigned to Texas. She joined the ESF #4 effort from the Wayne National Forest, where she’s a recreation technician. Her mother moved in with her last year and suffers from chronic respiratory illness. The meaning of the vaccination assignment isn’t lost on Anderson.

“If I can help someone else’s mom,” she said, “that’s a great thing.”

Anderson was given onsite vaccination training and began giving her first shots ever. She and the other vaccinators got lots of practice right away, giving out hundreds of vaccinations under increasingly difficult conditions as days went by. Though working inside drive-through tents, temperatures in the mid-twenties greeted the second workday, which had rotated from the speedway to a newly established site at Fair Park.

“I’m grateful to all the EMTs and other personnel who have mobilized for this effort,” said Sachs. “The recent weather in Texas is some of the worst in state history, and our people who are there have been freezing cold on workdays. Probably worse from their perspective, is that they’re in limbo and unable to help on days when the centers can’t operate. I can’t imagine their frustration but we’re all so proud of them.”

States continue to request our help through ESF #4. Multiple IMTs are assigned, with missions from vaccination site organization to helping counties with planning to reach more citizens with vaccine. Select command and general staff qualifications are also sought after, especially from planning, logistics and safety.

“Our absolute number one need in supporting FEMA is for EMTs and paramedics to give vaccinations,” said Sachs. “We anticipate that everyone with an EMS qualification will be picked up to help.”

To join the effort, incident and EMS qualified employees are asked to ensure their status in the Interagency Resource Availability Capability system is “available” within their geographic area or nationally.