Personal Protective Equipment for PNW Hospitals
Donation protected
The Why:
COVID19 is currently spreading exponentially, in a mostly unchecked fashion, throughout the world. Infection doubling rates are as high as 2-3 days. Under simplistic models, such unchecked growth means the disease infects most of the world in months. Current statistics indicate that 15-20% of people who get it requires hospitalization for respiratory failure for multiple weeks, and often need intense healthcare from medical professionals who are at severe risk treating these highly infectious patients. If infections proceed at their current pace across the globe, we will not have enough supplies like ventilators, respirators, PPE, etc. to meet demand.
I've received a lot of messages from those helping on the front lines of this pandemic and their stories are horrifying:
"My wife is a doctor at a local Portland hospital struggling to care for COVID19 patients with extremely limited resources. Every time she re-uses a face shield or N95 mask she is putting her life at risk. We are so scared for her. Please help."
"This is like walking into a war zone with no bullets, really no serious weapons, and no armor. We’re being asked to go into battle with little to nothing to protect ourselves, which is one thing. But these ‘bullets’ being fired at us, may miss us, but be carried home to our families, to our children and our loved ones."
What Are We Doing About It?
The PNW - Open Source COVID19 Medical Supplies group has been formed to organize, facilitate and manufacture the opensource medical supplies that are currently being developed around the world and supply them to the medical professionals that are desperately in need of help throughout the PNW (Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Portland, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Eugene, Salem, Tacoma, etc.)
Currently, we are working to manufacture protective face shields (such a the one pictured below) with local volunteers who have volunteered their time, resources, and machines to help keep the medical professionals on the front line safe.
We are also working directly with hospitals to see what other equipment is in need and if there is any way we can help manufacture them. Designs for equipment such as facemasks, protective gowns, ventilators, and many others are currently being reviewed and adjusted to meet hospital requirements.
How You Can Help:
We are a volunteer network that will 3D print and manufacture face shields, masks, and any other equipment for hospitals, medical staff and anyone else in need. We are donating 3D printer time, labor, and a lot of materials. Your donations will help us extend far past what we can achieve on our own. Your donations will go towards raw materials that we'll turn into personal protective equipment and medical devices. If, once this is all over, there is any money left in the fund it will be donated to other COVID-19 relief efforts or to relevant 501(c)(3) exempt charities not part of this campaign. We have no intention of making any money off this and only want to help keep safe those risking their lives to save others.
More details can be found at makerforce.org where you can signup as a volunteer or request PPE.
Join the Facebook group to do your part and let's save lives!
Facebook Group for Organizing
Organizations involved in the PPE effort:
BaselineDesign (Connor Weller): Design, Manufacturing, and Organization
PDX 3D Printing Lab : Tracking system and 3D printing members
BrainWave Computers : Drop off and logistics
PDX Hackerspace : laser cutting and drop off
Proto Pasta : Filament production
COVID19 is currently spreading exponentially, in a mostly unchecked fashion, throughout the world. Infection doubling rates are as high as 2-3 days. Under simplistic models, such unchecked growth means the disease infects most of the world in months. Current statistics indicate that 15-20% of people who get it requires hospitalization for respiratory failure for multiple weeks, and often need intense healthcare from medical professionals who are at severe risk treating these highly infectious patients. If infections proceed at their current pace across the globe, we will not have enough supplies like ventilators, respirators, PPE, etc. to meet demand.
I've received a lot of messages from those helping on the front lines of this pandemic and their stories are horrifying:
"My wife is a doctor at a local Portland hospital struggling to care for COVID19 patients with extremely limited resources. Every time she re-uses a face shield or N95 mask she is putting her life at risk. We are so scared for her. Please help."
"This is like walking into a war zone with no bullets, really no serious weapons, and no armor. We’re being asked to go into battle with little to nothing to protect ourselves, which is one thing. But these ‘bullets’ being fired at us, may miss us, but be carried home to our families, to our children and our loved ones."
What Are We Doing About It?
The PNW - Open Source COVID19 Medical Supplies group has been formed to organize, facilitate and manufacture the opensource medical supplies that are currently being developed around the world and supply them to the medical professionals that are desperately in need of help throughout the PNW (Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Portland, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Eugene, Salem, Tacoma, etc.)
Currently, we are working to manufacture protective face shields (such a the one pictured below) with local volunteers who have volunteered their time, resources, and machines to help keep the medical professionals on the front line safe.
We are also working directly with hospitals to see what other equipment is in need and if there is any way we can help manufacture them. Designs for equipment such as facemasks, protective gowns, ventilators, and many others are currently being reviewed and adjusted to meet hospital requirements.
How You Can Help:
We are a volunteer network that will 3D print and manufacture face shields, masks, and any other equipment for hospitals, medical staff and anyone else in need. We are donating 3D printer time, labor, and a lot of materials. Your donations will help us extend far past what we can achieve on our own. Your donations will go towards raw materials that we'll turn into personal protective equipment and medical devices. If, once this is all over, there is any money left in the fund it will be donated to other COVID-19 relief efforts or to relevant 501(c)(3) exempt charities not part of this campaign. We have no intention of making any money off this and only want to help keep safe those risking their lives to save others.
More details can be found at makerforce.org where you can signup as a volunteer or request PPE.
Join the Facebook group to do your part and let's save lives!
Facebook Group for Organizing
Organizations involved in the PPE effort:
BaselineDesign (Connor Weller): Design, Manufacturing, and Organization
PDX 3D Printing Lab : Tracking system and 3D printing members
BrainWave Computers : Drop off and logistics
PDX Hackerspace : laser cutting and drop off
Proto Pasta : Filament production
Fundraising team: MakerForce: COVID19 Medical PPE (2)
Connor Weller
Organizer
Vancouver, WA
Shashi Jain
Team member