POLK COUNTY, Fla. – In recent weeks Polk County Fire Rescue has been responding to an increasing number of 911 calls as coronavirus cases fueled by the delta variant continue to grow in Florida.
Polk County Fire Chief Robert Weech released a statement Wednesday asking people to reserve use of the 911 system for “the most serious emergencies.”
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The summer months are typically the busiest for Polk County emergency services with typically about 280 calls per day but in recent weeks the fire department is averaging about 340 calls, up to 400 per day, according to a news release from the county.
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“If you can avoid using the 9-1-1 system, this is a good time to do that,” Weech said. “The system is under strain. Certainly, if you have an emergency, stroke, heart attack or if you have an accident, certainly call 911. But if you have other ways of getting medical care, you need to exhaust those at this time so that we can deal with those bigger emergencies.”
The rise in 911 calls has led to longer waits for ambulances as they work to transfer patients to hospitals. Certain parts of the county are also experiencing a delay in response times, according to the news release.
“Right now, while our system is being taxed, we are still holding up and able to provide our normal level of service,” Weech said. “We just ask that, under the circumstances, if it isn’t an absolute emergency to find another way for medical care other than calling 9-1-1.”
Another Central Florida county recently made a similar request to temper the use of 911. The Seminole County Fire Department said this week that it is noticing more patients being hospitalized, impacting ambulance availability.
Florida hospitals continue to report COVID-19 patients are filling most hospital and ICU beds. As of Tuesday, more than 16,500 coronavirus patients were hospitalized across the Sunshine State, according to the Florida Hospital Association, which represents more than 80% of the state’s health care systems.
The virus is also taxing already exhausted and overworked health care workers. According to the Florida Hospital Association, 75.6% of hospitals in Florida are expecting a critical staffing shortage within the next week.
“There can be no question that many Florida hospitals are stretched to their absolute limits,” FHA President Mary C. Mayhew said Tuesday. “While hospitalizations continue to increase, three out of four Florida hospitals expect to face critical staff shortages in the next seven days, an increase of nearly ten percent since last week, and half of our hospitals will no longer accept transfer patients from other facilities.”