Governor Greg Abbott has turned to Frisco’s emergency operations center to collect statewide COVID-19 testing data. The frontliners of the Frisco Fire Department are currently collecting data from all the fire departments in Texas as a part of the governor’s phase one of testing. This data will help the fire departments prepare for COVID-19 testing in nursing homes. Deputy Fire Chief Kyle Mills is to coordinate this effort throughout the state. The data collected by the Frisco Fire Department has been sent to Frisco’s emergency operations center.

Susan Olson, the Assistant Director of Information Technology at the City of Frisco, and her team have worked together to design the application used to collect the testing data and present it to the authorities of the state. They created an online form in which the fire departments used to submit data to Susan Olson and her IT team. The current plan is to consolidate the data collected into an interactive map to make it easier to visualize the information being collected.

Yesterday morning, Frisco paramedics began testing the residents of three nursery homes to test around 400 residents and staff for the coronavirus. While testing, paramedics will be in full protective gear to avoid transmission of the virus. They will be using test kits, provided by a local lab that is in cooperation with the state. The tests will be free for nursing home residents and city taxpayers. The Frisco Fire Department also anticipates testing rehabilitation, assisted living, and memory care facilities, depending on the data collected from the nursing homes. This process is expected to be completed by the end of this week.

Frisco has a crucial role to play in slowing the spread of the coronavirus in Texas. By beginning this location-specific testing, this city is ensuring its citizens have access to the resources they need, one location at a time. While this is a stressful time, Frisco has shown that it will try its best to be there for its people.