First Responders Get COVID-19 Vaccine In Westlake

WESTLAKE, OH — Nearly 700 first responders received the COVID-19 vaccine at Westlake Fire Station No. 2 on Dec. 30.

The Westlake Fire Department and the Cuyahoga County Board of Health worked together to distribute the Moderna vaccine to EMS and first responder personnel from across the county's western suburbs.

This was the third point-of-dispensing site set up by the Cuyahoga County Board of Health (CCBH) in the span of a week. The first two dispensing sites were in Shaker Heights and Independence. More than 300 first responders were vaccinated at each of those sites.

“Today, we have a very aggressive goal of vaccinating those 700 individuals,” Westlake Fire Chief Jim Hughes said. “We’re going to do that through a partnership with all the Weshore fire departments - Lakewood, Fairview Park, Rocky River and Bay Village - along with the Board of Health. And, of course, we couldn’t have done this at all without the support of the Westlake Police Department.”

Personnel administering the vaccines wore protective equipment, including M95 masks. The personnel giving the vaccines to first responders were also vaccinated prior to the event.

After receiving the vaccine, first responders were asked to stay in the parking lot for 15 to 20 minutes, in case they developed any side effects.

CCBH Communications Officer Kevin Brennan said fire stations may be used for vaccine distribution again, when the vaccines become available to the general public.

“We do anticipate in the coming months that we will have public dispensation of the vaccine and we may be using the fire stations again,” Brennan said. “It likely will depend on the weather at that time. If it’s warmer weather, we’ll do our best to do it outside. But if it’s colder and raining, we may ask the fire stations for cooperation again.”

“We really appreciate the cooperation from the fire stations of the cities in letting us use the drive-through bays at the fire stations,” Brennan said. “Obviously, we can open the doors on either end. We can keep people in their cars so we can limit contact.”