COVID-19 cases in Maryland continue to skyrocket and as of Monday, 2,746 people are hospitalized with the virus.
Not only is it overwhelming hospitals, but it's impacting fire and EMS operations.
"We've noticed an increase call volume in EMS, primarily patients who believe they are experiencing symptoms of COVID," said Shannon Stallings, chief of the Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire Department. Sometimes, ambulances are waiting at the ER with a patient for hours because there are no beds available. That entire time, they canât respond to other calls.
To help free them up, as of New Years, Baltimore County is allowing non-life threatening patients to be transported by fire truck or other non-ambulance type of vehicle.
