The Jefferson County Emergency Management and Hazmat Center in Herculaneum soon will begin distributing personal protective equipment (PPE) to the county’s first responders, said Ron Harder, who is acting as the public information officer for the Emergency Management Department during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
“The main defense against this virus are these supplies,” said Harder, who also is the public information officer for the Rock Community Fire Protection District. “We want to make sure all agencies have access to PPE so they are prepared.”
Personal protective equipment includes masks, gloves, safety glasses, gowns and booties to cover shoes, Harder said.
He said hand sanitizer and disinfectants also will be distributed to first responder agencies at the operation center at 1409 Herculaneum Industrial Drive.
Harder said the supplies are expected to start arriving around Wednesday, April 1, and will be distributed to the county’s ambulance districts, fire protection districts, police departments and Sheriff’s Office.
He said as supplies come in, the operation center will focus on providing the protective equipment to ambulance district’s emergency medical technicians and paramedics first, as well as fire protection districts with EMTs and paramedics.
“We will want to cover all of our agencies as supplies come in,” Harder said. “We do want to make sure all of the ambulance district personnel are covered because they are often the first to encounter anyone showing signs of being sick.”
Harder said it is important for police officers and Sheriff’s Office deputies to have the protection gear, too.
“When officers have to approach somebody for a traffic stop or other investigations, it is important they have the PPE supplies,” he said. “We want to make sure everyone stays as safe as possible.”
