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Polk fire chief requests only to call 911 with 'serious emergencies'

There has been an average of 340 calls a day, some days up to around 400.

POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Polk Fire Chief Robert Weech asks people to only call 911 with serious emergencies amid the COVID-19 surge.  

According to Weech, the system is "under strain."

"Certainly, if you have an emergency, stroke, heart attack, or if you have an accident, certainly call 911," Weech said in a statement. "But if you have other ways of getting medical care, you need to exhaust those at this time so that we can deal with those bigger emergencies.”

Polk Fire normally responds to around 280 calls a day, but in recent weeks there has been an average of about 340 calls a day. Some days even more than that, according to officials. 

These increased calls have caused longer wait times for ambulances waiting to bring patients to the hospitals. 

There is also a delay in response times for parts of the county.

“Right now, while our system is being taxed, we are still holding up and able to provide our normal level of service,” Weech said. “We just ask that, under the circumstances, if it isn’t an absolute emergency to find another way for medical care other than calling 911.”

Pasco County Fire Chief Scott Cassin on Tuesday also asked residents to only call 911 for a "true emergency" in light of the rising hospitalizations of people with COVID-19.

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