EL PASO, Texas -- On the first day of administering the free H1N1 vaccine in El Paso, public health officials said they could have been more organized.

On Wednesday, most people waited an average of about four hours before getting the vaccine.

"We have people on wheelchairs, on canes, and everything. It is moving so slow," said Mavine Mendenhall from Northeast El Paso.

Not just slow, but poorly organized according to some clients.

"We've been waiting long enough. I don't think they're well enough staffed and I heard from the people coming out that they're not even organized in there," said Roy Miller from Northeast El Paso.

Red Cross volunteers arrived at the Northeast location in the late morning to provide water and police officers helped with traffic control. But no one could do much about the long lines and the long wait.

"Some of my staff underestimated the reaction, so they came up with this plan yesterday to do it in our clinics then I think they're thinking now that wasn't a good idea," said Michael Hill, the Public Health Director.

The city of El Paso Department of Public Health made the decision to administer the vaccine as quickly as possible instead of waiting until the original date of Nov. 3. In the effort to distribute 12,000 vaccines, there was a rush to the four clinics that had the free immunization. Hill addressed concerns about people with insurance and undocumented immigrants getting the free vaccine.

"We're not able to police the lines and this is one big community, there may be an international boundary in between and everybody we protect from getting the flu is one less person that can communicated to the rest of us," said Hill.

Hill said after today, they'll be more organized and have a better idea of when they'll run out.

"Trying to make sure that people understand that this isn't they're last chance to get the vaccine. There's going to be more coming and be patient," said Hill.

Hill said if you have insurance you can probably get the H1N1 vaccine with your provider for about $15.