MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers announced today that the state has shipped its one millionth N95 mask as part of ongoing efforts to ensure frontline workers have access to the critical personal protective equipment (PPE) they need to limit their exposure to COVID-19.
“Ensuring frontline workers, first responders, and local communities have access to PPE— especially N95 masks— has been a top priority for us since the beginning of this pandemic,” said Gov. Evers. “I want to extend my thanks to the state workers, local emergency management, and public health partners who have played a critically important role in this process and have worked tirelessly to ensure these lifesaving masks and other critical supplies are getting where they are needed most.”
The masks were shipped through a supply chain that was established in the spring by Wisconsin Emergency Management, the Department of Health Services, and other state partners. The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) works with county and tribal emergency managers to identify local needs and critical shortages. Regular shipments are then sent from a state warehouse facility, with local partners distributing allocations based on their assessments of local needs.
The PPE distributed through the warehouse was acquired from requests made through the Strategic National Stockpile and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, along with purchases made by the state through private vendors. It is being provided by the state at no cost to those receiving it.
In addition to N95 masks, the SEOC and its partners have helped distribute other critical PPE supplies, including:
- Over 16.1 million non-surgical and non-medical face masks
- Over 7.9 million pairs of non-surgical and non-medical gloves
- Over 1.7 million non-surgical and non-medical gloves
- Nearly 225,000 KN95 respirators
- Over 393,000 face shields and goggles
- Over 30,000 thermometers
- Almost 279,000 containers of hand sanitizer and disinfectants
- More than 94,000 coveralls
- Over 424,000 foot coverings
The state also continues to operate a Battelle Critical Care Decontamination System, which has helped clean and return over 82,500 N95 masks to Wisconsin healthcare workers and emergency responders since going online this summer, preserving a critical resource.
