Home>Articles>San Francisco Advises Resident To Not Call 911 Unless For A Life-Threatening Emergency

San Francisco Skyline (Photo: Evan Symon for California Globe)

San Francisco Advises Resident To Not Call 911 Unless For A Life-Threatening Emergency

Hundreds of emergency workers in SF out due to COVID

By Evan Symon, January 11, 2022 2:19 am

Over the recent weekend, the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management advised city residents to not call 911 unless it was for a life-threatening medical emergency due to both the rapid spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant in the area, as well as medical staff and city workers being stretched thin due to the number of medical workers kept isolated at home due to exposure or testing positive for the virus.

Since late December, the number of COVID cases have skyrocketed in California, with most contracting the omicron variant.  While far less lethal than other variants, it has proved to be more contractible. A such, while hospitalizations and deaths are down, the number of daily new positive tests “cases” continues to break records. The total of new number of cases Monday statewide was 56,810.

Cities have seen some of the worst of it, with Los Angeles and San Diego a big factor in the new daily case count. San Francisco has also shown high rates, but has handled this in quite a different way.

Last week, teachers and other school staff members held a “sickout,” with healthy educators staying home to try and force additional COVID-19 measures to be implemented in the city’s school district. By Friday, Mayor London Breed was reporting that hundreds of city workers had to stay home due to COVID-19 and COVID-19 precautions, including over 400 emergency workers.

“We are still seeing staff out due to COVID including: 184 SFPD members 140 SFFD members 122 Muni workers Despite this, we are continuing to provide the critical services our residents deserve,” tweeted Mayor Breed.

However, less than 24 hours later, the Mayor’s assurance was quickly broken by a San Francisco Department of Emergency Management tweet asking citizens to only call 911 only for life threatening emergencies, due largely to a shortage of medical workers and the need to protect those who remained on duty.

“Please don’t call 911 to ask for a COVID-19 test, or because you have a cold, or minor flu symptoms,” said San Francisco Fire Department Chief Jeannie Nichols in a statement. “We really want to keep our ambulances available for people having a heart attack or strokes. The department has been having about over 400 EMS calls a day in the city for the past several days—about 30% more calls than average.”

In a similar vein, a nurse at a San Francisco hospital told the Globe on Monday, “We’ve lost hundreds in the last few weeks due to having COVID19 or staying home as a precaution. We don’t know when these doctors and nurses will come back. We all have to pick up so much slack now. We’re all on edge because of it.”

With resources now strained, and some, such as police being fanned out more in recent weeks to help deal with the ongoing crime wave, already assigned, many San Franciscans expressed growing concern on Monday that there may be a delay in getting needed emergency services.

“Being told not to call an ambulance except for life-threatening injuries is a dangerous thing to do,” said Frank Ma, a former law enforcement official who now works as a security advisor for businesses in San Francisco and cities in the Peninsula, to the Globe on Monday. “How do people know if something is non-threatening? Many times it is not clear. It’s crazy we’re at this point now, but the city isn’t allowing everyone fully an emergency service now It’s shameful.”

While the 911 request isn’t mandatory, it is currently unknown just how far any kind of denial or enforcement could go.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Evan Symon
Spread the news:

 RELATED ARTICLES

10 thoughts on “San Francisco Advises Resident To Not Call 911 Unless For A Life-Threatening Emergency

  1. “The United States shattered its record for COVID-19 hospitalizations Tuesday, reporting 145,982 patients in the hospital with COVID-19.”
    “The number is up from the previous record of 142,273 on Jan. 14, 2021, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services. The U.S. also reached a new record of daily COVID-19 cases Monday, with 1,483,656 cases reported, according to Johns Hopkins University.”

    Do not believe all the right wingers who post on this comment board that there is no surge of Covid.
    It is worse then ever.

    1. What happened to President Poop Pants plan to eliminate Covid? He said he had a plan to get rid of it head on once he got into the White House! He can’t blame it on the “Bad Orange Man” anymore!

      1. What happened to John the misinfomed Patriot who recently denied that there was a Covid surge?
        What happened to John who said hospitalizations are not increasing?

        1. Come on now W. You have all your fantasies realized. 100% demonrat control over your state and country. You should be tickled PINK at how well things are going. Utopia not how you thought it would be?

        2. Check the link that Cali Girl provided below from sfgate hardly a right wing publication. 70% of Covid patients hospitalized are in there for other issues besides Covid. It’s just that once they were in there they got tested and it was positive and it does not mean they are showing symptoms. It’s the same all over the country hospitals are typically at 85% to 95% full this time of year due to flu and pneumonia but your CNN and MSNBC don’t tell you that. And where is President Poop Pants plan to end Covid?

    2. Even your CDC director stated the numbers have been inflated my friend. Just like many of us, “conspiracy theorists” have stated for over 2 years. The truth comes out! 50% of “said” COVID deaths were NOT from COVID. Have you tried reading CDC website for some up to date, much delayed facts? You are the epitome of a follower, can’t think for yourself.

  2. The key word in the declaration is WITH covid.
    Even the San Francisco Chronicle is not having any of it. The hysteria is wearing on most people who understand we are in an endemic. It is not wise to fan the flames of hysteria. When you have lost a liberal news source such as the SF Chronicle I think the narrative just might be crumbling.
    They just printed an article that people are not dying from Omicron.
    Dr. Jeanne Nobel of UCSF emergency dept.had this to say:
    “The vast majority of COVID-plus patients I take care of need no medical care and are quickly discharged home with reassurance.”
    She has not had to intubate one patient!
    https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/COVID-San-Francisco-staff-shortage-UCSF-16758335.php

  3. OMG! I had a positive Test! I’m Healthy, but I have to call 911!!!!!!

    These people are stupid, privileged, and weird.

  4. The deep state/dark cult Democrat cabal has destroyed a once great city? It’s all part of the globalist reset and institution of a police state?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *