Another Tulsa public servant has died of COVID-19.
City officials announced late Tuesday night that 52-year-old Joey Phillips, a 911 dispatcher on the job for 23 years, had died from the disease.
"The Tulsa Fire Department has lost one of our great dispatchers. The voice that kept you safe and informed. The last voice that told you to 'wear your seatbelts' when you went out on a call. Rest well Joey Phillips. We'll take it from here," Capt. Lorenzer Holmes Jr. wrote in a Facebook post shared by the Tulsa Fire Department.
In a Facebook post, Mayor G.T. Bynum said Phillips has been there for thousands of Tulsans in their moments of need.
Tulsa Fire Chief Michael Baker addressed Phillips’ death Wednesday during a meeting of the Emergency Medical Services Authority.
"You know, in my eyes, these are becoming preventable losses, and we need to take action to prevent these in our community. And this is just another tragic example of how this virus is hitting public safety in all aspects," Baker said.
Phillips is survived by his son, Bryce. His death comes three weeks after Tulsa Police officer and union chair Jerad Lindsey died of COVID-19.
