News Releases from Region 02

EPA Region 2 Transfers Personal Protective Equipment to Federal Emergency Management Agency

NEW YORK – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 2 announced that it has provided more than 14,400 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) to aid emergency and health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. The equipment was transferred to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Among the items transferred to FEMA are protective disposable gloves, safety glasses and full-body protective coverall suits. EPA maintains a range of PPE for mission-critical work such as responding to emergencies, including chemical, oil, radiological and biological incidents.

“EPA is working hard to support our nation’s first responders as they risk their own safety to save lives during the coronavirus pandemic,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “After searching our inventory of personal protective equipment, we identified excess supplies and sent them to those on the frontlines of this fight. At EPA we are here to help in any way we can, and I encourage everyone else to do the same.”

“Since our main regional office is located in the epicenter of COVID-19, we know very well that every piece of protective equipment helps and are proud to contribute what we can to the effort,” said EPA Region 2 Administrator Pete Lopez. “Personal protective equipment donated by EPA Region 2 is being made available to the brave women and men that are at the forefront of this national emergency.”

The PPE EPA has transferred to FEMA includes:

• 1,245 protective Tyvek suits
• 13,000 gloves
• 168 pairs of safety glasses

EPA maintains a supply of PPE as part of the agency’s laboratory, inspection and emergency response functions. EPA also provides additional response assistance when state and local first responder capabilities have been exhausted or when additional support is requested.

EPA is currently developing an agency-wide plan for rapid distribution of available personal protective equipment to state and local governments that are working COVID-19 operations.

For information about EPA’s involvement with the COVID-19 response, please visit: https://19january2021snapshot.epa.gov/coronavirus.

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter at http://twitter.com/eparegion2 and visit our Facebook page, http://facebook.com/eparegion2

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