Westmoreland County groups seek coronavirus protective gear

The Westmoreland County Department of Public Safety has teamed with three nonprofit business groups in the county to assist in gathering personal protective equipment for area health care workers and first responders during the covid-19 pandemic.

“Resources for this crisis are scarce worldwide, and we are focusing our efforts on identifying every avenue possible to gather PPE equipment to prevent our county from a shortage,” said Cassandra Kovatch, public information officer for the department of public safety.

The Westmoreland County Industrial Development Corporation, Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Growth Connection have agreed to assist the county in its outreach to seek the equipment, Kovatch said.

“As the county’s emergency management agency, it is our role to receive resource requests from each local emergency management coordinator’s municipality and to fill those (PPE) requests,” Kovatch said. “If we are unable to meet those needs immediately, we then forward our needs to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.”

On March 30, county public safety director Roland Mertz sounded the equipment shortage alarm, announcing that the county’s first responders could run out of personal protective equipment sometime in April if the number of coronavirus cases continued to rise.

On Sunday, the state health department reported 12 more people have tested positive for covid-19 in Westmoreland, bringing the total to 147. On March 30, the number of confirmed cases in the county was just 55.

Kovatch said the county is in need of protective masks, face shields, medical scrubs, lab coats, goggles, and medical caps, gloves and gowns.

To donate, email the department of public safety at liaison@co.westmoreland.pa.us. She said businesses will receive the instructions and protocol for dropping off donations.

People can also call 724-600-7314 with questions.

Kovatch noted that some schools, businesses and individuals already have donated, including Penn State New Kensington, Saint Vincent College, Greensburg-Salem School District, Jeannette School District, Westmoreland Intermediate Unit, Elliott Co., Simply Pump, Mike Paladino and Tyler Schetlin.