News Releases from Region 01

EPA's New England Region Transfers Personal Protective Equipment to Federal Emergency Management Agency

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) New England regional office announced that it has transferred more than 11,500 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to be distributed to state and local agencies across New England battling COVID-19.

"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."

"EPA is doing all we can to support our state and local partners as they address this pandemic in our communities here in New England," said EPA New England Regional Administrator Dennis Deziel. "We want to ensure that anything EPA can spare goes to the frontline responders who need it the most."

The PPE EPA has transferred to FEMA in New England includes:

• 169 protective suits (Tyvek and Saranex)
• 10,700 gloves
• 26 face shields
• 86 pairs of goggles and safety glasses
• 283 disposable lab coats
• 330 boot and shoe covers

The Agency maintains a range of PPE for mission-critical work such as responding to emergencies, including chemical, oil, radiological and biological incidents. EPA also provides additional response assistance when state and local first responder capabilities have been exhausted or when additional support is requested.

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