WASHINGTON — The whole-of-America response to fighting the COVID-19 pandemic continued today, as more respirators were moved to high priority areas based on COVID-19 activity data. More than four million respirators arrived last Friday at Baltimore’s BWI Airport, the largest shipment to date of FEMA’s Defense Production Act order from 3M. A total of 166.5 million respirators from the order will continue arriving through June.
FEMA continues to expedite movement of commercially pre-sourced and procured critical supplies from the global market to medical distributors in various locations across the U.S. through Project Airbridge.
As of April 26, Project Airbridge has completed 85 flights with an additional 25 scheduled or in transit. One flight landed in Chicago yesterday. Five flights are scheduled to land today, three in Chicago and two in Los Angeles. Through Project Airbridge, the following supplies have been delivered from overseas manufacturers to the U.S. and into private sector supply chains from March 29 to April 26:
- More than 768,000 N-95 masks.
- More than 746 million gloves.
- More than 70.5 million surgical masks.
- More than 9.7 million surgical gowns.
- Nearly 2.1 million thermometers.
- More than 562,000 face shields.
To date, FEMA has obligated $5.9 billion in support of COVID-19 efforts.
FEMA Procures Over Four Million Respirators
BALTIMORE (April 24, 2020) — A shipment of over four million FEMA-procured respirators from 3M arrives at Baltimore-Washington International Airport. The shipment is part of the federal government’s efforts to ensure critically needed PPE gets to the areas most impacted by COVID-19.
FEMA photo by Raymond J. Piper
USNS Mercy Sailors Receive Hospital Beds During COVID-19 Response
LOS ANGELES (April 27, 2020) — Military Sealift Command civilian mariners receive hospital beds onboard the hospital ship USNS Mercy’s flight deck. Mercy deployed in support of the nation's COVID-19 response efforts and serves as a referral hospital for non-COVID-19 patients currently admitted to shore-based hospitals, allowing those staffs to focus their efforts on COVID-19 cases. DoD is supporting FEMA as well as state, local and public health authorities in helping protect the health and safety of the American people.
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Erwin Jacob Miciano
125th Air Expeditionary Airmen Assist with COVID-19 Testing in Florida
CENTRAL FLORIDA (April 27, 2020) — Airmen with the 125th Air Expeditionary Squadron assist nurses at an assisted living facility with mobile testing facility residents.
U.S. Army Photo by Pvt. 1st Class Orion Oettel
First Wave of Ambulance Crews in New Jersey Deactivate
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (April 23, 2020) — The first wave of ambulance teams head home with much fanfare after supporting COVID-19 response operations in Jersey City and Newark. The teams were part of FEMA contract in response to the pandemic. The long line of EMT crews arrived with a helicopter escort at a staging area at MetLife Stadium to a raucous thank you of flashing lights, sirens blaring and first responders showing their appreciation.
FEMA photo by Alexander R. Rico
New Mexico Air National Guard Transports Medical Supplies
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (April 27, 2020) — The New Mexico Air National Guard delivers medical supplies throughout the state in support of the COVID-19 response.
U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ian Beckley
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