“We are eternally grateful, Inteva did us a solid,” said Vandalia fire chief Chad Follick. “Inteva has always been a good partner to us.”
The manufacturer in Vandalia donated masks, 1,500 filters and spare straps. Inteva also included instructions on how to fit and use the masks.
“They didn’t just dump a bunch of masks in our laps either, they gave us all these extra filters and straps,” Follick said. “This opens us up to a great deal of possibilities looking forward.”
The masks donated by Inteva will help extend the life of the masks the fire department already has, Follick said. Fire fighters are wearing masks on every emergency call they go on.
“We have the potential to burn through our stock pile pretty quickly, so this donation is very helpful to our department,” Follick said.
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As the city looks to open various things on May 1 and after, the fire department will be able to give masks to other city departments. The fire department is already supplying the police department with some masks.
Follick said the donation from Inteva is a huge savings for the fire department.
“Before (coronavirus) N95 masks were $40 or $50,” Follick said. “Now we’re seeing some up to $100.”
The donation from Inteva is one of many, Follick said.
The fire department has received handmade masks from local families, food, gift cards and many thoughtful notes from the community, according to Follick.
“The support from the community has been so great,” he said.
Follick said their support is warranted. His fire fighters have really stepped up to meet all the challenges the coronavirus has brought.
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“I’m always proud of these guys, but they have really been awesome the past 60 days,” Follick said. “They have been diligent about cleaning, diligent about hand-washing. They’re really putting themselves in harms’ way every single day right now. And the fact that these people are thinking about us means so much.”
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