While the Office of Emergency Management for Harrison County has distributed more than 1,200 N95 masks for law enforcement, EMS and fire departments across the county, the director is now on a search for homemade face masks. And for good reason.

 

Director Laura Pysz is asking for help from the community to provide homemade masks. The masks, she said, will also go to the first responders listed above and hopefully to dispatchers and other key personnel at the Harrison County 911 center located in Bridgeport.

 

“Right now, we’ve given out the N95 masks to first responders and it’s imperative those individuals, as well as medical staff, have them because they are more likely to have an encounter with someone with COVID-19,” said Pysz. “What we’re looking for now are homemade masks.”

 

While the homemade masks don’t supply the protection of the N95 masks, guidelines coming down from the Centers for Disease Control this weekend recommended that everyone use a mask or a cloth covering when being in the public. Pysz said the homemade masks would be given to the individuals mentioned above when away from their jobs.

 

“The first responders, our dispatchers, need them when they’re out and about in the public domain,” said Pysz. “We know they don’t filter out everything, but they’re recommended and as a precaution we would like to do anything that will reduce the risk in any manner for these workers that are very essential to the pandemic situation.”

 

Pysz asked for help via social media Monday. She was getting some feedback early in the process, but nothing definitive. She’s hopeful someone can assist

 

If you can assist, contact Pysz at 304-423-7950. Individuals can also reach her via email at lpysz@harrisoncountywv.gov.

 

Editor's Note: Photos show some of the 911 dispatchers that could receive additional protection as the result of donated face mask.