A Wallaceburg company has stepped into the front line in the fight against the COVID-19 virus, producing and donating 25 plexiglass intubation shields to help health care staff caring for patients with the virus.
Municipality of Chatham-Kent officials say 1 Source Design was approached by Chatham Kent’s Economic Development Department after being alerted to the issue by Mayor Darrin Canniff.
“Our economic development officers used their contacts within local industry and Spencer Pray was able to reach out to 1 Source which moved extremely quickly to get the specifications and begin the process,” stated Stuart McFadden, Chatham-Kent’s director of economic development, in a press release.
“We were thrilled with the response and that we were able to play a role to bring this together.”
Municipal officials say the intubation shields are used by health care staff to reduce the chance of them being infected with the virus when working with patients, providing an extra level of protection.
Graham Tomlinson, director of sales and engineering for 1 Source, said once his firm received specifications from the municipality, it took only 17 days for them to complete the intubation shields.
Tomlinson said the firm’s usual products include die cast dies, trim dies and plastic injection tooling.
“It isn’t easy to find plexiglass right now but we were able to search our suppliers and found one in Pennsylvania,” Tomlinson said in a media release.
Tomlinson said the total cost of the project would exceed $22,000.
The devices will be provided for local and area hospital use, Municipal officials say.
Mayor Canniff said 1 Source’s actions speak volumes about the attitude of businesses and individuals in Chatham-Kent.
“They were incredibly helpful,” Canniff said in a press release.
“When we found out that there was a need we had no idea that anyone would be generous enough to simply donate the devices. 1 Source went above and beyond on this one and we’re extremely grateful.”
