First responders reusing masks
First responders reusing masks
Firefighters and medics on the front lines are having to reuse masks over and over again.
AGAIN.
CONTACT 5 INVESTIGATORMICHAEL BUCZYNER SPOKE TO ASOUTH FLORIDA FIRE CHIEF ABOUTTHE SUPPLY CHALLENGE AND HOWSHE'S BATTLING IT.âI KNOW THAT PPE SHOULD NOT BEREUSED, BUT IPEOPLE TO REUSE GEAR THATDISPOSABLEâ WEST PALM BEACHFIRE CHIEF DIANA MATTY SAYSSHEDECISION..
ASKING HER FIRSTRESPONDERS TO REUSE N-95 MASDURING A PANDEMIC.
MATTYâWEHAVE ENOUGH WHERE WE CAN WEARTHEM FOR 5 CALLS AND THEN THEYGET TO DISPOSE OF ITâ CHIEFMATTY TELLS CONTACT 5 THATRIGHT NOW HER DEPARTMENT HASABOUT 4-THOUSAND N-95 MASKSON-HAND.
IF REUSEDĂFOR 5CALLSĂSHE SAYS THE SUPPLYCAN LAST ABOUT 8 WEEKS.
USEDONCE - FOR EACH CALLĂANDITâWE CANNOT ACCEPT THAT I HAVETO REUSE A MASK, THIS IS ADISPOSABLE ITEMâ CHIEF MATTYSAYS PALM BEACH COUNTY HASASSISTED AS BEST IT CAN &GIVING THE DEPARTMENT 1600N-95 MASKS... ALONG WITHTHOUSANDS OF OTHER NECESSARYSUPPLIES.
AN EMAIL OBTAINED BYCONTACT 5 - SHOWS THE COUNTYHAS DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN177-THOUSAND MASKS TO FIRSTRESPONDERS, HOSPITALS ANDOTHER ENTITIES SINCE LATMARCH.âAT THIS POINT ITA MONEY THING, ITTHINGâ 9:55:40: MATTYâWHENWE USED TO PAY 69-75 CENTSAPIECE FOR THESE MASKS AND NOWITS 5 AND 8 DOLLARS APIECE FORMASKS, I WILL DUMP MY ENTIRETRAINING BUDGET TO BUY MASKS,THEYFRANKEL:âTHIS IS AN ISSUE ALLOVER THE COUNTRY, SO ITLIKE WE DONLIKE WEASKED CONGRESSWOMAN LOISFRANKEL ABOUT THE SHORTAGEĂADAY AFTER SHE HELD A ZOOMMEETING WITH CHIEF MATTY ANDOTHERS ON THE FRONT LINES.âWHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DOABOUT THISâ FRANKEL:âIGOING TO DO WHAT IDOING WHICH IS TO CONTINUE,WELET THE LEADERSHIP KNOW THATTHIS IS STILL AN ISSUEââTHEPATIENTS ARE FEARFUL OF WHATGOING ON, THE MEDICS AREFEARFUL OF THE UNKNOWN.
ITVERY COMPLEX ISSUEâ MB:âWEALSO CHECKED WITH PB CO FIRERESCUEĂA SPOKESPERSON THEREJUST TOLD ME THEY USE THEMASKS FOR 3 SHIFTS -BEFORETHEYFOR POSSIBLE FUTURESANITATION.
LUCKILY, CHIEFMATTY HERE IN WEST PALM TELLSME NONE OF HE FIREFIGHTERS ORMEDICS HAVE TESTED POSITIVEFOR COVID 19.
IN WEST PALMBEACH, MB, WPTV, NEWS CHANNEL5â