Non-Partisan Teamwork to Deliver PPE to Our Local Front Line Work Force
Our local medical professionals, first responders, law enforcement officers and so many others are giving their all, putting themselves and their loved ones at risk to protect our communities’ most vulnerable. Every level of government and every Long Islander has a responsibility to do everything possible to keep them safe, and this means ensuring they have the critical Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) they need.
I was recently notified by county officials that Suffolk County’s stockpile of PPE was out of surgical masks, regular sized N95 masks, gowns, face shields and other critical resources. Immediately, I pleaded for urgent assistance from across America to secure desperately needed PPE for Suffolk County.
Within minutes, I received multiple direct offers to help, but one, directly from the White House, stated the Administration wished to help Suffolk County secure all of the PPE it needed for the following 30 days. In just the first 48 hours following this offer, Suffolk County received over half a million masks for our brave local front line workers.
The White House committed to providing Suffolk County 200,000 N95 masks, but it didn’t stop there. The federal government not only delivered over 280,000 N95 masks to Suffolk County, but 100,000 additional N95 masks for Northwell Hospitals west of Suffolk, and this all came at no cost to the county.
The Long Islanders who need our help most are the ones who benefit when every level of government works together. In working with Suffolk County Steve Bellone’s office, we’ve connected suppliers who wish to sell or donate vital PPE with the county and local organizations and hospitals who need it. Within 24 hours of my plea for assistance, a supplier delivered 150,000 surgical masks to Suffolk County. By the next day, 100,000 more 3-ply surgical masks were also delivered. In addition to suppliers, local organizations have also played their part. This past weekend, it was an honor to work with the Tunnel to Towers Foundation to secure a donation of 10,000 KN95 masks for local grocery store employees and other front line workers.
In every corner of our great district, everyday Long Islanders are stepping up to the plate, showcasing for the world the resilience that New Yorkers have shown time and time again in the past. From William Floyd High School to businesses on the North Fork to a 12-year-old Middle Schooler from Southampton, Long Islanders are pulling out all the stops, 3D printers and will power to manufacture face shields for their neighbors who are on the front lines of this battle against coronavirus.
No matter how big or small, whether we’re a government official or an everyday citizen, we all have our part to play when it comes to fighting coronavirus. Ensuring we continue to work together in a non-partisan manner will ensure we emerge stronger than ever on the other side of this fight.
Congressman Lee Zeldin represents New York’s First Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives where he serves as a member of the bipartisan Congressional Coronavirus Task Force.