Workers in Santa Clara County’s “higher risk” jobs are no longer able to serve in public-facing positions without obtaining their COVID-19 booster shot, a policy effective Feb. 1.
The order, announced Dec. 28, was adopted in the face of the rising omicron surge; however, Los Altos Hills-based Santa Clara County Fire Department firefighter Kevin Rapport said he’s worried the order will exacerbate the county’s existing staffing shortage. As of Jan. 1, the department had 202 of its 244 firefighter positions staffed.
The county measure broadened a state order to medical first responders, regardless of where they work. It defines “higher risk” scenarios as any in which there are “shared airspace with patients, clients, or vulnerable populations.”
Firefighters with religious or medical exemptions may face losing their jobs if they fail to comply with the order, as they are no longer eligible to serve on a fire engine. The county mandate requires agencies to seek spots for their un-boosted employees in lower-risk positions, but Rapport said there are only four available spots in the fire department, and he expects somewhere between 20 and 40 firefighters may resist seeking a booster shot for medical or other reasons.
Although it’s unclear how many firefighters will ultimately separate from the department, Rapport said at least three firefighters were removed from their shifts at 8 a.m. Feb 1. One of those was in Los Altos Hills. Rapport, who has been with the department for five years, is fully vaccinated but is unable to receive a booster for medical reasons. He’s currently on leave after contracting COVID.
Departments within the county can apply for a waiver to the order. Fire department officials said in a statement that they are consulting with legal counsel to determine whether to apply for the waiver.
The department “anticipates” a total of seven firefighters will be removed from “high risk” assignments, according to a statement provided via email.
“The number of personnel that are anticipated to be removed from ‘high risk’ assignments is not expected to disrupt the Department’s ability to provide service,” read the department’s statement. “Further, the Department does not anticipate experiencing a critical staffing shortage due to the deadline, even when accounting for staffing fluctuations due to protected and voluntary leaves.”
The department also cited an incoming class of 10 newly trained firefighters, deployed Monday, as a relief to staffing shortages. Rapport expressed concern that the new firefighters are not adequately trained as a result of a shortened fire academy training program.
Rapport argued that even a single shortage on a fire engine represents a health and safety risk to the public.
“It’s the citizens we serve that are going to end up paying the price on this,” he said.
He’s also concerned about the implications the order might have come fire season.
“We’re one of the top five agencies that goes out and supports during a wildfire,” Rapport said.
The Santa Clara County Fire Department serves the cities of Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Cupertino, Campbell, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno and Saratoga and adjacent unincorporated areas.
