Cape Coral Fire Department partners with DOH on vaccine distribution

A new partnership has formed between the Cape Coral Fire Department and the Florida Department of Health to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine as quickly as possible.

The city approved the partnership because paramedics with the fire department already have the training and certifications necessary to give injections, putting more hands on deck to help get Southwest Floridians vaccinated en masse.

Fire Chief Ryan Lamb says the next challenges are educating the public and deciding when and where people will be able to get the vaccine.

“We do know that a lot of people are going to need some education on what the vaccines are and how they work and why they’re safe,” Lamb said. “And so that will be things that’s going to take some work in the beginning of that, to help educate people about how this will help reduce the risk of spread and sickness in our community.”

For now, the process will be tested with the flu vaccine. A list of times and locations where you can get the vaccine will be created and then shared with you. Lamb says the distribution process won’t be as easy for the COVID-19 vaccine, however, due to temperature limitations.

“With the COVID[-19] vaccine, based off of different vaccines and how they have to be stored, that’s going to put some unique limitations on when and how we can administer the vaccine,” Lamb said. “So because we have this agreement in place, that allows us to start putting those other pieces in place to get the rest the plan put together.”

Lamb says it’s likely other fire departments in Southwest Florida will join in on distributions efforts.