Posted Apr 1, 2020, 6:25 pm
People calling 911 for answers about COVID-19 concerns but not pressing health emergencies are "taxing an already stressed public safety system," authorities said, reminding the public that 211 and other help lines are available.
The Tucson Fire Department is responding to an increasing number of calls reporting possible symptoms of COVID-19, but when personnel are dispatched, they arrive to find callers who have mild symptoms and are simply looking for answers to their questions, a TFD spokesman said.
"Protective equipment like masks, gloves and gowns are in short supply across the country, and need to be saved for calls and patients who truly need them," said TFD's Michael Colaianni.
From TFD:
Call 9-1-1 if you are:
Do NOT call 9-1-1 if you
The Pima County Health Department has set up two hotlines to answer questions from the public. For general information about COVID-19, including news, testing, prevention, and cleaning guidelines, call 211 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. For questions about symptoms, call 1-844-542-8201, anytime.
"We need our first responders healthy and equipped with everything they need to keep you and the rest of our community safe," Colaianni said.
Concerned about keeping quality reporting alive in Tucson?
A metro area of nearly 1 million deserves a vital & sustainable source of news that's independent and locally run.
Support TucsonSentinel.com with a contribution today!
Comments
There are no comments on this report. Sorry, comments are closed.