Coronavirus: Howard Community College Donates Personal Protective Equipment

From Howard Community College:

3/30/20

To help area health care providers respond to the growing COVID-19 pandemic, Howard Community College’s Health Sciences Division donated more than 2,300 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) Tuesday to the Howard County Office of Emergency Management.

The office and the Howard County Health Department distributed the equipment, including protective N95 face masks, isolation and surgical gowns, shoe covers and transport ventilators, to Howard County General Hospital, area senior care facilities and a local dialysis center.

The college’s Health Sciences Division pulled the equipment together from its nursing, dental hygiene, surgical technology, medical laboratory technician and emergency medical technician program supplies after learning of the county and state PPE needs.

“Our equipment is lying dormant since our classes have been moved online,” said Georgene Butler, dean of the Health Sciences Division and professor in the nursing program. “While we’re not in session, the best place for this equipment to be is with the people who need it the most.”

Howard County government put out a call for donations on Monday. Within 24 hours, the county had HCC’s donations in hand.

“It was a collective effort,” Butler said. “All of our program chairs wanted to step up and do their part.”

The division will also donate its sterile medical exam gloves if the need arises, Butler said.

“We stand at the ready to do our part,” she said.

These donations are just one example of the Health Sciences Division’s ongoing commitment and dedication to residents’ health, said Shelly Bilello, programs administrator and the college’s liaison to Howard County government’s COVID-19 taskforce.

“Even in times of crisis, they continue to teach and lead by example, demonstrating what it takes to be successful in the health sciences field,” Bilello said. “Emergencies have a way to bringing out the best in people. What better way to serve as ambassadors and leaders in our local communities then to donate items in times of need.”

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The HCC Health Sciences Division donated the following items to Howard County to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic:

• 140 N95 masks
• 1,008 procedure masks
• 750 isolation gowns
• 113 disposable lab coats
• 24 surgical gowns
• 200 shoe covers
• 100 bouffant caps
• 2 transport ventilators

This press release was produced by Howard Community College. The views expressed here are the author’s own.