AUGUSTA, Maine — Editor's note: You are hearing the term 'flattening the curve' as a way to stem the tide of coronavirus cases. The above video explains what that means.
Avangrid, the parent company of Central Maine Power, will be donating much-needed equipment to help combat the coronavirus pandemic.
The Maine Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) will receive approximately 3000 N95 respirators and surgical masks from Avangrid Monday morning.
David Flanagan, Executive Chairman of CMP, said it was the company's duty he help during the crisis.
“CMP has worked with other AVANGRID companies in implementing crisis plans, and in taking stock of inventory over the last few weeks, we determined that our companies had protective masks in storage that could be used by healthcare workers and other first responders,” said Flanagan. “Given the growing shortage of masks and other protective gear faced by medical facilities across Maine, we have an opportunity and an obligation to help.”
Dr. Nirav Shah, director of Maine Center for Disease Control, has stressed the importance of respirators and masks or PPEs.
Shah said the Maine CDC received the second shipment of PPEs from the U.S. strategic stockpile last week, and that it planned to distribute those soon. However, he said this new shipment still does not meet the state's overall needs.
MEMA Director Peter Rogers echoed Shah's comments about the critical nature of the PPE situation.
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“We are grateful for CMP’s donation of these critical safety masks,” said Rogers. “These masks will support the State of Maine in its mission to flatten the curve and mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”
Shah said last Monday, the Maine CDC would distribute about 22,000 pieces of equipment to healthcare employees across the state, including about 2,400 N95 masks, more than 8,000 procedure masks, almost 2,000 face shields, and about 6,000 gloves among other things. He said FEMA would be distributing additional protective equipment to the state of Maine soon.
An Avangrid press detailed other measures CMP is undertaking to ensure the power grid is in stable condition during the crisis.
CMP has taken steps to help assure the reliability of the electric system that provides energy to hospitals, nursing homes, food and critical distribution warehouses and other critical facilities in the coronavirus response. Company personnel have been inspecting the circuits that supply electricity to those facilities, trimming potentially hazardous trees that could cause service disruptions along the way.
NEWS CENTER Maine will update this story with more details as they become available.
At NEWS CENTER Maine, we're focusing our news coverage on the facts and not the fear around the illness. To see our full coverage, visit our coronavirus section, here: /coronavirus
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