Argenta News - No Flu Shots For Firemen This Year

No Flu Shots For Firemen This Year

Written by Scott Miller

Monday, November 23 2009

In past years the North Little Rock Fire Department received free flu shots courtesy of the City wellness program, however that policy appears to have changed this Fall. Firemen are being told this year they can get and pay for their own seasonal flu shots (Not H1N1 flu shots). In the past flu shots have been important enough that nurses have even been dispatched directly to fire stations to administer flu shots.

Firemen are the first responders on all medical runs in the City taking care of the sick and injured until MEMS arrives. The City has spent thousands of dollars purchasing and equipping exercise rooms for City employees to work out and lower health care costs for the City. Flu shots for first responders and City employees responsible for life safety would seem to help cut down sick days, lower City health care costs and help the City provide better service for it's citizens. For that matter seasonal flu shots for all City employees would seem to be prudent.

The NLRFD Union has had a rocky relationship with Mayor Hays in the past. Last year the union not only endorsed Bubba Lloyd who ran against Mayor Hays in a spirited race, many of thier members also actively campaigned and raised money for Lloyd.

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Comments (7)

One has nothing to do with the other!
Written by fridaymom, on 24-11-2009 10:07
Oh really! How can you possibly believe that the political support the FD gave to Bubba would result in any type of retaliation by King Hays! I would be LMAO if it wasn't so sad and probably true.

Written by angry guy, on 24-11-2009 20:17
Support Hays or support the local fire and police departments, but you can't support both. If you want the police and fire departments to have the best (or at least better), then you can not support or vote to re-elect Hays. If you think it's ok to not build new fire departments as our population and acrage grows, take the police out of our school's security and not support the health and well being of our firemen, then by all means keep your support behind Hays. I for one support safer neighborhoods, schools and healthier firemen. You know, the ones that are more suseptible to respitory diseases (like the flu) caused by the smoke that is an inevitable part of their jobs.

I never thought I'd say this but.......
Written by nunudiddy, on 24-11-2009 21:27
I agree with you Angry Guy.

Written by cozmosis, on 25-11-2009 01:09
Angry guy... We must remember that they are more susceptible because the title of "firefighter" is the most mis-leading in city government. These guys are emergency medical technicians and meet sick people every day they're on the job -- a lot of people who don't always share (or know) the sort of illness they're plagued with.

Flu shots nextweek
Written by NLRfireman, on 25-11-2009 16:07
Guess what? We have been told that we are getting flu shots next week.

Hooorayyyyyy
Written by nunudiddy, on 25-11-2009 16:50
It's another festivus miracle !!!!!!

Go figger....
Written by PharaohTet, on 26-11-2009 00:26
It's true; lo and behold, sitting in the Station Email today was notice that "our" flu shots are finally here. Coincidence? Who knows...