PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — In light of the rising hospitalizations of people with COVID-19, the Pasco County fire chief is asking people to only call 911 for a "true emergency."
In a release Tuesday, Fire Chief Scott Cassin pleads with the community to "stay vigilant" and urges people ages 12 and up to consider getting vaccinated against COVID-19.
Cassin says many hospitals in the area are "at or over capacity and ambulances are currently holding patients at hospitals for hours at a time due to a lack of available beds and hospital staff."
Because of this, an ambulance shortage has occurred across the county and, in turn, causing longer wait times for people calling 911. Non-urgent issues should be handled by a doctor, walk-in clinic or urgent care center, Cassin said.
Across Florida, the state is seeing record numbers of people hospitalized with COVID-19. As of Aug. 16, 15,656 people were hospitalized with the virus, according to FHA.
A full copy of Fire Chief Cassin's statement is below:
"Hospital emergency rooms are currently being inundated with patients and the time it takes to be seen in an emergency room is skyrocketing across our community. Many hospitals are at or over capacity and ambulances are currently holding patients at hospitals for hours at a time due to a lack of available beds and hospital staff. This is causing an ambulance shortage across the county and is causing long wait times for 911 callers.
"As Pasco County Fire Chief, I'm asking every resident and visitor of Pasco County, and the bay area, to stay vigilant. Unvaccinated residents ages 12 and older should consider getting a COVID-19 vaccine, which is available through your physician, local pharmacy, retail outlet, and all urgent care centers.
If you are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 such as fever, sore throat, or cough, contact your physician, urgent care center, pharmacy, or the Department of Health for testing, to help reduce the impact on area emergency departments.
"Please help EMS agencies from around the bay area provide life-saving interventions for those who truly need them. If your 911 call is not an emergency that needs immediate medical attention such as chest pain, shortness of breath, stroke, serious trauma, or other life-threatening illness or injury, please consider contacting your doctor's office, utilizing a walk-in clinic, or urgent care center. This will get you the help you need in a timelier manner while at the same time assisting currently overworked staff at hospitals.
"Remember, 911 is only for true emergencies. For non-emergent issues, visit your doctor, walk-in clinic, or urgent care center, and let's all do our part to save the ambulances and ER visits for those who urgently need those services."