Radians, manufacturer of personal protective equipment (PPE) and quality safety eyewear and hearing protection for shooters and hunters, donated more than 14,000 N95 masks to first responders and medical facilities in Memphis, TN. “We’re thankful for our first responders and glad that Radians can lend a helping hand during the crisis,” said Wes Miller, director of sales for Radians’ Sporting Goods channel.
Radians, which is based in Memphis, added the N95 respirator to its PPE portfolio in 2018. “We knew that adding N95 respirators to our portfolio was important,” said Radians President Bill England, “but with the COVID-19 pandemic, they have become a critical PPE item to help protect those with the highest risk of exposure. We’re happy that Radians is able to make this donation in our hometown, which has a very large medical community including St. Jude, Le Bonheur and UT Medical.”
The masks are in such short supply nationwide that an L.A. Times story on March 25 indicated medical workers in Los Angeles were told to reuse them. The Wall Street Journal warned a week beforehand that the shortage is nationwide, not just regional. Officers protecting and serving law-abiding citizens aren’t immune, either. Philadelphia’s NBC News 10 reported on March 28 that a fifth of that city’s police force is under quarantine. In New York City the total was 442 officers.
Radians CEO, Mike Tutor, said the donation “…represents Radians’ corporate responsibility to help during challenging times. With a worldwide shortage of respirator masks, we knew this donation would quickly assist first responders and health care workers as they help Memphis rise above the COVID-19 crisis. The respirators will also be of service at COVID-19 test sites.”
N95 masks are tighter fitting than surgical masks and provide more protection. Radians is the latest in the long list of firearm companies joining the battle against COVID-19.
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