Editor's note: Find Firehouse.com's complete coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic here.
As 2020 comes to an end, the first COVID-19 vaccines are reaching the public after living for nearly a year in a pandemic.
Availability of the vaccine, however, hasn't helped determine who would be receiving it first.
RELATED:
- IAFF Urges FFs to Get 'Highest Priority' for COVID Vaccine
- NFFF: Over 100 First Responders Killed by COVID
- Poll: Over Half of FDNY Firefighters Will Refuse Vaccine
For some time, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the International Association of Fire Fighters, the National Association of State Fire Marshals and the National Volunteer Fire Council have been urging governors and state health officials to give firefighters, EMS workers and other first responders the highest priority alongside frontline health care staffers. But earlier this month, Centers for Disease Control's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) only recommended including health care workers and long-term care facility residents in the top priority group for the vaccine.
Each state gets to decide how those first doses will be administered and, more importantly, who will receive them. Officials will be using the CDC guidelines in many cases, tailoring them to address specific demographic and geographic concerns.
The following list of what individual states plan to do was compiled by the IAFC. It includes the current priority level for firefighters and EMS workers, as well as a link to an overall vaccination plan if available.
The list is a living document that will continue to evolve into the new year as more information is known. Go to the IAFC's website for more information.
Editor's note: The CDC uses "1a" to designate the top priority level for the vaccine, but states will use their own designations in some cases. Refer to individual vaccination plans for clarification.
Alabama
Priority for firefighters: Likely to adopt from ACIP
Priority for EMS: Likely to adopt from ACIP
Alaska
Priority for firefighters: 1B. Adopted from ACIP
Priority for EMS: 1A. Adopted from ACIP
Arizona
Priority for firefighters: 1B
Priority for EMS: 1B
Arkansas
Priority for firefighters: 1A
Priority for EMS: 1A
California
Priority for firefighters: 1B. Likely to adopt from ACIP
Priority for EMS: 1A. Likely to adopt from ACIP
Colorado
Priority for firefighters: 1B
Priority for EMS: 1B
Vaccination plan (access needs to be requested)
Delaware
Priority for firefighters: 1D (including families)
Priority for EMS: 1A or D (including families)
District of Columbia
Priority for firefighters: 1A
Priority for EMS: 1A
Florida
Priority for firefighters: 1C
Priority for EMS: 1C
Georgia
Priority for firefighters: 1B
Priority for EMS: 1B
Vaccination plan is no longer available online
Hawaii
Priority for firefighters: 1A
Priority for EMS: 1A
Idaho
Priority for firefighters: Unclear
Priority for EMS: Unclear. Likely Tier 1
Illinois
Priority for firefighters: 1A (after health care workers)
Priority for EMS: 1A
Indiana
Priority for firefighters: Tier 2
Priority for EMS: Tier 1A
Iowa
Priority for firefighters: Unclear. Likely to adopt ACIP
Priority for EMS: Unclear. Likely to adopt ACIP
Kansas
Priority for firefighters: 1B. Likely
Priority for EMS: 1A. Likely
Kentucky
Priority for firefighters: Unclear. No plan available
Priority for EMS: Unclear. No plan available
No longer available online
Louisiana
Priority for firefighters: 1B
Priority for EMS: 1B
Maine
Priority for firefighters: 1A. Likely
Priority for EMS: 1A. Likely
Maryland
Priority for firefighters: Tier 1
Priority for EMS: Tier 1
Massachusetts
Priority for firefighters: 1B. Likely to adopt from ACIP
Priority for EMS: 1A
Michigan
Priority for firefighters: Tier 2. Likely
Priority for EMS: 1B. Likely
Minnesota
Priority for firefighters: Unclear. No plan available
Priority for EMS: Unclear. No plan available
Plan not publicized
Mississippi
Priority for firefighters: 1A
Priority for EMS: 1A
Missouri
Priority for firefighters: 1B
Priority for EMS: 1B (hospital-based EMS in 1A)
Montana
Priority for firefighters: Tier 1
Priority for EMS: Tier 1
Nebraska
Priority for firefighters: 1B
Priority for EMS: 1B
Nevada
Priority for firefighters: 1J. Likely
Priority for EMS: 1D. Likely
New Hampshire
Priority for firefighters: 1A. Adopted from National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM)
Priority for EMS: 1A. Adopted from NASEM
New Jersey
Priority for firefighters: 1B. Will adopt ACIP
Priority for EMS: 1A. Will adopt from ACIP
New Mexico
Priority for firefighters: 1B
Priority for EMS: 1B
New York
Priority for firefighters: Tier 2
Priority for EMS: Tier 1
North Carolina
Priority for firefighters: 1B
Priority for EMS: 1A
North Dakota
Priority for firefighters: 1B
Priority for EMS: 1A-3
No longer available online
Ohio
Priority for firefighters: 1A
Priority for EMS: 1A
Oklahoma
Priority for firefighters: Unclear. No plan available
Priority for EMS: Unclear. No plan available
No longer available online
Oregon
Priority for firefighters: Unclear
Priority for EMS: 1A. Likely
Pennsylvania
Priority for firefighters: 1A
Priority for EMS: 1A
No longer available online
Rhode Island
Priority for firefighters: 1A
Priority for EMS: 1A
South Carolina
Priority for firefighters: 1B
Priority for EMS: 1A. Likely
South Dakota
Priority for firefighters: 1B. Likely
Priority for EMS: 1A. Likely
Tennessee
Priority for firefighters: 1A
Priority for EMS: 1A
Texas
Priority for firefighters: 1B. Likely to adopt from ACIP
Priority for EMS: 1A. Likely to adopt from ACIP
Utah
Priority for firefighters: 1B2
Priority for EMS: 1B2
Vermont
Priority for firefighters: 1A
Priority for EMS: 1A
Virginia
Priority for firefighters: Unclear. Likely to adopt ACIP
Priority for EMS: Unclear. Likely to adopt ACIP
Washington
Priority for firefighters: Tier 1
Priority for EMS: Tier 1
West Virginia
Priority for firefighters: 1B1
Priority for EMS: 1A2
No longer available online
Wisconsin
Priority for firefighters: 1B. Likely
Priority for EMS: 1A. Likely
Wyoming
Priority for firefighters: 1B. Likely to adopt from ACIP
Priority for EMS: 1A. Likely to adopt from ACIP
No longer available online
