Dispatchers stop asking 911 callers about the symptoms of COVID-19, raising concerns with the Houston fire union

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) – Callers to 911 in Houston will no longer be asked if they are experiencing COVID-like symptoms, changing a month-long practice to relay information to first responders. Firefighters are now being told to treat each call as if the patient or home were COVID-positive.

Houston Fire Chief Sam Peña said the change is an admission of the widespread nature of the virus in the city and out of concern that callers don’t always offer true information.

For months, Peña pleaded with the public to give honest responses to protect firefighters, who have suffered a large number of COVID-forced quarantines.

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The change was announced the same day that the Houston Fire Department attended a funeral for Capt. Leroy Lucio, the first Houston firefighter to die from COVID-19.

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Houston Professional Firefighters Association President Marty Lancton told ABC13 that he cannot understand why the department would want less information for firefighters rather than more.

“Less information for the men and women on the front lines who answer calls is dangerous to firefighters, paramedics and Houston citizens,” Lancton said.

Chief Pena explained the change to HFD members in a memorandum obtained by 13 Investigates. “The prevalence of COVID-19 is high in the Houston area and COVID-19 cannot be ‘ruled out’ in the field and cannot be adequately examined through the OEC. In the best interest of the health and well-being of HFD members, all addresses and patients should be viewed as potential COVID-19 positive sites and patients. No attempt should be made or opinions formed to treat and treat any patient as ‘non-COVID’. “

The change is the second in recent weeks that affects the COVID-19 information in the shipment. In early July, the department stopped registering addresses of COVID-19 positive patients in the citywide dispatch system. Chief Peña says it was taking too long to enter thousands of cases into an outdated system, one by one.