Spokane Fire Department to host COVID-19 vaccine clinics starting today

The city of Spokane is joining the community COVID-19 vaccination effort.

Vaccine clinics will be held at three Spokane Fire Department stations this month, one in each City Council district.

The first is scheduled for Wednesday morning, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Spokane Fire Department Station 8 on 1608 N. Rebecca St. , just east of the Spokane Community College campus.

Future clinics will be held through June at station 9, at 1722 S. Bernard St. on the South Hill, and station 17 at 5121 W. Lowell Ave. in the northwestern corner of the city.

The first clinic at station 17 will be on Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m., while the first at station 9 will be on Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The clinics will offer the Pfizer vaccine, which requires two doses, and the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine is available to people at least 12 years old, while the J&J is available for those 18 and older .

People eligible for either vaccine will be able to choose which they’d prefer.

The vaccine is free. Appointments are not required, but are encouraged at srhd.org.

The effort was funded with up to $500,000 appropriated last month by the Spokane City Council from the city’s $81 million cut of the federal American Rescue Plan.

“Many of our Spokane firefighters are also paramedics, therefore, capable of administering COVID-19 vaccinations throughout the city’s various neighborhoods to people where they are, quickly, efficiently, and at no cost,” Councilwoman Candace Mumm said in a statement. “Providing almost half a million dollars to the Spokane Fire Department’s mobile, rapid vaccination program, is a sure way for the Council to aid our community in rapidly recovering from the life-threatening effects of COVID-19.”

The Spokane Regional Health District has a full list of vaccination sites and times available across the Spokane region on its website at srhd.org.