Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus provided an update on Mon., Apr. 20 regarding Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that the County has distributed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The County continues to ensure that our first responders and medical personnel have the resources and equipment needed to protect themselves as they perform their duties on the frontlines of this public health emergency,” Neuhaus said.
The County’s Emergency Services Department has worked in coordination with the Health Department and General Services to procure and distribute PPE to first responders, medical facilities, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, assisted living facilities and municipalities to help address their needs and support their functional operations. The County’s Emergency Operations Center was activated in response to the COVID-19 outbreak on Thurs., Mar. 5 and has remained fully-staffed every day since, which is its longest ongoing emergency response operation since it opened in 2008.
“As we have seen with this pandemic, PPE is essential to keep our workers on the frontlines safe,” Orange County Commissioner of Emergency Services Brendan Casey said. “At the direction of County Executive Neuhaus, we had a strategic stockpile, and continue to acquire equipment. This has put us in the best possible position to provide critical tools to help those on the frontline to combat this horrible viral infection.”
Since Mar. 24, working with New York State and private vendors, Orange County has distributed more than 15,964 surgical gowns, 31,338 N-95 masks, 110,564 surgical masks, 51,398 pairs of gloves, 760 gallons of hand sanitizer and 4,931 face shields and 3,504 goggles.
