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The red Miami Fire Rescue van pulled up to the Brickell apartment building early Tuesday, with two medics dressed in protective gear inside. The driver, already wearing a mask, donned a gown, shoe coverings, a face shield and gloves stored in the back of the van.
The three firefighters were preparing to collect a sample from a homebound individual to test for COVID-19, the dangerous and sometimes deadly respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Fire rescue crews across Miami-Dade County are now testing people who cannot leave their homes.
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They’ve encountered families who fear they’ve been infected. They’ve been the only well-wishers to visit people on their birthdays who live alone. They’ve interacted with people around the county when most folks are living under stay-at-home orders that have strongly discouraged social interactions with anyone outside one’s home.
Miami Fire Rescue Lt. Pete Sanchez told the Miami Herald his colleagues are working under difficult circumstances, setting aside their own anxieties to take samples that will help people find out if they are sick and public health officials better understand the scope of the pandemic.
“Everyone is concerned,” Sanchez said. He said it’s difficult work, but his colleagues are trained to do it and are taking proper precautions.
Miami’s city government started its own testing program for the homebound on March 23. The city is conducting about 100 in-home tests a day, according to Sanchez, and has tested more than 2,100 patients so far. About 10% of those tests have come back positive.
City of Miami residents who are 18 or older, are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and do not have transportation to reach one of the city’s drive-through testing sites can call 305-960-5050 to make an appointment. City staff who speak English, Spanish and Creole are taking appointments between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue workers are also providing testing services countywide for homebound residents outside the city for senior citizens and individuals over the age of 18 with disabilities who are experiencing symptoms. People can make an appointment by calling 305-499-8767 starting at 9 a.m., seven days a week. The testing is being done in partnership with Jackson Health System.
“It feels great helping individuals that can’t go and get testing, and we basically have the process giving the assist,” said Axel Decamillis, of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, adding that people can feel comfortable in their home as staffers collect the sample to test for COVID-19.
Outside the Brickell apartment Tuesday, after donning all the proper protective equipment, the three Miami paramedics entered the building. Within 15 minutes, they emerged with a sample, which was submitted to a lab for testing. Within four days, the city will receive the test results, and a city staffer will call the patient with the information.
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