UMass Amherst Donates Personal Protective Equipment to Area Health Providers and First Responders

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AMHERST, Mass. – The University of Massachusetts Amherst is donating Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to hospitals and first responders in the region as part of the ongoing statewide and national response to the novel coronavirus pandemic. Masks, gloves, gowns and sanitary clothing from campus laboratories are being distributed to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, the Soldiers Home in Holyoke and the Amherst Fire Department.

University officials stress that the donations will not affect their ability to conduct operations on the Amherst campus, including University Health Services and protection of essential employees working on campus.

Jeff Hescock, executive director of Environmental Health and Safety and Emergency Management at UMass Amherst, says these donations will help meet critical public needs while the university maintains its ability to protect students, staff and faculty on campus.

Hescock says all of the materials have been collected from university researchers and faculty. “Because we have switched to remote learning, the researchers on campus are doing less in-person activity and that has made this donation of materials possible,” he said. “I want to thank our research community and faculty for their assistance.”

Baystate Medical Center received N95 masks, gloves and cotton tipped applicators. These were picked up on Thursday, March 26.

UMass Memorial Medical Center received N95 masks, gloves, sanitary clothes, cotton tipped applicators and face shields. These were dropped off on Thursday, March 26.

Cooley Dickinson Hospital received N95 masks and gloves. These will also be delivered on Thursday, March 26.

The Amherst Fire Department received a delivery of gowns on Wednesday, March 25.

The Soldiers Home in Holyoke picked up surgical masks and gloves on Wednesday, March 25.