**PHOTO RELEASE**CFO and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis Receives COVID-19 Vaccine from Tallahassee Firefighters

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination from firefighters with the Tallahassee Fire Department and highlighted the work Florida’s firefighters have done during the COVID-19 pandemic.

CFO Jimmy Patronis said, “Florida’s firefighters have been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic from day one and I was honored to receive my vaccine from these heroes today. Of the more than 38,000 career firefighters in Florida, roughly 80 percent are paramedic or EMT certified and have been assisting in Florida communities by directly administering shots during the largest mass vaccination effort in American history. For over a year, these heroes have continued saving lives in our communities no matter the challenges brought on by this pandemic. They answer the call no matter the circumstances and I cannot thank our firefighters enough for their hard work during this unprecedented time and for everything they do to keep our us safe.

“Thank you to the Tallahassee Fire Department, the Florida Department of Health, and to Governor DeSantis for his leadership in this outstanding distribution process and for his ‘Seniors First’ mission to protect those most vulnerable. The COVID vaccine is a light at the end of a very dark tunnel, and I encourage all Floridians, especially our first responders, to get vaccinated as soon as possible.”