Almost Half of Philly’s Firefighters, Cops Skip Vaccine
Vaccination rates among public safety workers are only slightly above the city's overall vaccination rate, about 47%. Police and firefighters had more time during which they were eligible for vaccination than others.
May 12, 2021 •
Mark Makela/TNS
(TNS) - Nearly half of Philadelphia's fire and police workers are unvaccinated despite being eligible to receive the shot for months, according to unions representing both groups.
Philadelphia Firefighters Local 22, which represents about 2,800 firefighters and EMTs, reported 51% of its members have been vaccinated. The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge Five reported 3,562 members have been vaccinated, more than half the force. The union did not offer any demographic breakdowns of that number and was not able to distinguish between officers and civilian employees.