SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento Fire Department is now helping to vaccinate some of their community’s most underserved neighborhoods. It is part of Governor Newsom’s plan to set aside 40% of the state’s vaccine supply to communities in need.
Sacramento Fire started by holding their first pop-up clinic in the heart of Del Paso Heights Thursday at the Neighborhood Wellness Foundation Community Center.
It was first come, first serve with no appointments necessary. They offered 200 doses of the Johnson and Johnson single-dose vaccination through their drive-up and walk-up clinic to those 65 and older, as well as those who qualify under the state's tier system.
“I’m grateful, it’s wonderful!” said Tommy Kirk, a Del Paso Heights native.
Kirk walked up to get his vaccine in the same neighborhood he was born and raised in on Thursday.
“They’re coming to help," Kirk exclaimed. "They’re not leaving us stranded, they’re coming to help, giving us that life jacket that we need right, so that’s great, it’s a good feeling."
A so-called life jacket, which Sacramento Fire Chief Gary Loesch says he plans to continue giving out at pop-up clinics like this one, at least once a week, focusing on the underserved neighborhoods in Sacramento, that may not otherwise have access to the vaccine.
“This is for community members that have difficulties with mobility, the underserved community, where they’re not able to get to Cal Expo or maybe don’t have a computer to log in and get an appointment,” Loesch said.
It’s serving people like Edward Quinn, a Del Paso Heights native, who couldn’t get through to book an appointment with CVS or his doctor.
“Wasn’t no need, you couldn’t get in, you couldn’t do anything, just making a normal appointment was hard,” Quinn said.
These first responders have already been working to vaccinate city workers and first responders over the last several weeks but this pop-up clinic marks their first day on the road.
“That is our mission, as the Sacramento Fire Department, is to serve the community, and it doesn’t just mean serving the community, putting fires out or doing rescues or emergency medical runs, for us, this is prevention,” Loesch said.
The Sacramento Fire Department will be holding their second pop-up clinic at the Calvary Chapel at 2667 Del Paso Boulevard on Friday afternoon from 3-6 p.m. They say no appointments are necessary, it is all on a first-come, first-serve basis. They expect to have 200 doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine for Friday’s clinic.
