Greenwood police and fire are lending a hand to those most at risk for the coronavirus.
The city’s police and fire departments are offering a prescription medication delivery service to the city’s elderly and at-risk residents. Personnel from the departments will pick up medications and bring them to the doorsteps of people’s homes.
Leaders in both department were looking for a way to help Greenwood residents during a time when many people can’t leave their homes. One of the best ways they figured they could help was to deliver medications to help keep elderly residents from going out and being exposed to the virus, said Matt Fillenwarth, assistant chief of the Greenwood Police Department.
“There are people who don’t have immediate family around who need some help,” he said. “During this time, you want to protect our at-risk citizens as much as you can.”
Interested residents can call the fire or police stations to set up a delivery. The person receiving the delivery must be a Greenwood resident and pre-pay for their medication before it is picked up from a pharmacy within the city limits.
On duty police officers and firefighters are not the ones delivering the medications, though, Fillenwarth said. Administrative employees who work in the offices at the stations are delivering the medications.
“You’re not going to have a police car or fire engine pulling up delivering your medication,” Fillenwarth said.
The departments have permission from local pharmacies to pick up medications for people who need the service, Fillenwarth said. Those working on delivery have to show their photo identification at the pharmacy for pickup, and the drop off will be left outside the door at the resident’s home to avoid personal contact.
“As contagious as this is, obviously we want to limit the risk of exposure to our folks, but just as importantly to the people we’re serving,” Fillenwarth said.
So far, the fire department has received several calls from people wanting the service, Fillenwarth said, but he wasn’t sure how many deliveries had been made so far.
Delivery is available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“You know people are going to be hurting during this time,” Fillenwarth said. “If we didn’t do something like this, some people who shouldn’t be putting themselves at risk would be going out.”
Additionally, if the community wishes to help, department leaders are encouraging folks to share information about the deliveries on social media, Fillenwarth said.
“And if they have a friend or neighbor who doesn’t have any family around that needs these deliveries, they can give them our number,” he said.
Serving the community in any way, especially during a global pandemic, is just part of the job in public safety, Fillenwarth said.
“It’s just part of what we do,” he said. “Some people look at you as a police officer and think you just write tickets. Well actually, you are a service to your community.”
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Schedule a delivery
To request a prescription medication delivery, call either the Greenwood police or fire departments’ non-emergency lines.
Greenwood Police Department: 317-882-9191
Greenwood Fire Department: 317-882-2599
Requirements
- Must be a Greenwood resident.
- Pharmacy must be in Greenwood.
- Medications must be paid for before pickup.
Delivery times
8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Friday
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