BUXTON, Maine — The Buxton Fire Department hosted a drive-thru COVID-19 vaccine clinic Friday for Maine people age 60 and older to help increase immunity to the virus.
Fire Chief Nathan School said they scheduled just shy of 300 appointments, and used social media to reach out to other nearby businesses to eventually get 315 shots into arms in span of about six hours.
Chief Schools said patients included those ages 60 and older, including MSAD 6 employees, and nearby town and city employees.
"This is our first time out of the gate," said Chief Schools. "It's been above and beyond anything I could have put together in a plan, and it's worked extremely well."
People drove into the bays of the fire department, where volunteers of firefighters and EMTs administered the vaccine while patients sat in their cars.
Marisa Morrison, an advanced EMT with Buxton Fire and Rescue was one of the roughly 30 volunteers helping in the clinic and brought the boost that people need right now.
"Pure joy and excitement. They said they're all ready to get back to normalcy, see their families, and we're happy to help them do that," Morrison said.
"We have grandchildren down in Connecticut that we're dying to see," said one man.
Chief Schools said the towns of Buxton and Old Orchard Beach pitched this pilot program to the Maine CDC and Maine EMS. Old Orchard Beach ran a 300-plus appointment site for those 60 and up on Wednesday, targeting educators in the surrounding communities.
Chief Schools said he believes this model could work statewide.
"We have people here who just are fix-it people," said Schools. "It takes a community to get this done."
Chief Schools said he hopes to hold a similar clinic next week, but has not set a date yet.