COVID-19 Impact on Fire & EMS: Weekly Update

April 17, 2020

The NVFC is providing a weekly update to the fire and emergency services on news, resources, and relevant information relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. Find additional resources on our COVID-19 landing page.

Results from Week 4 of the NVFC Survey to Document Volunteer Emergency Services’ COVID-19 Experiences

The NVFC is running an ongoing survey to better understand the experiences of volunteer and combination fire, EMS, and rescue departments dealing with the outbreak of COVID-19. We encourage you to take the survey here, and to retake it each week so that we can track changing challenges and needs. Click here to view the results of the survey from the past week.

EMS Organizations that Bill for Transport Receiving Stimulus Funding

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act contains stimulus money for emergency medical services organizations that bill for transporting patients to hospital emergency departments. Click here for more information.

PSOB Office Updates Guidance on COVID-19

The Bureau of Justice Assistance has issued new guidance explaining how the Public Safety Officers Benefits (PSOB) program plans to handle claims involving COVID-19. Click here for more information.

NVFC Asks the President to Waive Local Cost Share Requirements for Disaster Funding

The NVFC has asked President Trump to waive all federal cost-share requirements for assistance under the current Emergency Declaration and any future Major Disaster Declarations in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Click here for more information.

Recruiting Volunteers During Difficult Times

Recruiting new volunteers can be challenging for local fire departments even in the best of times. With the COVID-19 pandemic, many departments have had to put recruiting events, recruit classes, and other related initiatives on hold. However, that doesn’t mean all recruitment initiatives have to stop.

In conjunction with National Volunteer Week, we’re hosting a Facebook Live discussion on Tuesday, April 21, at 7pm ET/4pm PT on how to keep up with volunteer recruitment initiatives even in these difficult times. NVFC program manager Caroline Stachowiak will be joined by David Lewis, NVFC Maryland director, Tiger Schmittendorf, vice president strategic services-public safety at First Arriving, and John Kowalski, marketing strategist and lieutenant with the Lone Oak Volunteer Fire Department in Signal Mountain, TN. Topics will include challenges posed to recruitment by COVID-19, alternative recruitment methods, and applying for a SAFER grant to help with volunteer recruitment and retention. The panelists will also be answering viewers’ questions. Learn more here and join us at www.facebook.com/nvfc1.

Webinar on Legal and Documentational Issues for EMS

Lexipol is hosting a webinar today at 2pm ET/11am PT on COVID-19: Legal and Documentational Issues for EMS Practitioners. The recording will be available for those who can’t make the live event. Learn more here.