COVID vaccine rolls out for Santa Maria Fire Department

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Nearly a year into the pandemic, Santa Maria firefighters are now getting the COVID vaccine.

“The Vaccine insures me and my family that I’ll be able to come home safe at the end of the day,” says Battalion Chief Mike Farmer with the Santa Maria Fire Department.

Farmer says it’s been tough for firefighters to work during the pandemic, “Our fire fighters or engineers are dressed with every bit of PPE we can put them in from masks to eye protection.”

Farmer says given how closely crews have to work to put out a fire or respond to an emergency call at someone’s home, the COVID vaccine can be a game changer, "I am excited about the vaccine, anything that can assist us in our our toolbox as we say as firefighters, to make us more readily available for the public and assist the public."

Right now, Farmer says the fire crew is being isolated as much as possible so they’re healthy and available to run emergency incidents

"The vaccines will help us definitely to stay protected from the virus and have a little more confidence when we go in to treat some of these patients with symptoms," says firefighter Anthony Clayburg with the Santa Maria Fire Department.

While firefighters are not required to get the vaccine, Farmer hopes everyone will get it.

Fire crews with the Santa Maria Fire Department are getting vaccinated at the Government Center on Wednesday.