Dan Young at PC Laptops
In this COVID-19 world, all across the nation police officers, first responders and healthcare workers are serving us today without the needed filtration masks (or the related healthcare Personal Protective Equipment).
Of the First Responder departments, agencies and healthcare organizations in hard hit areas around the country that have N95 masks, medical-grade sanitizers and other PPEs, nearly all are about to run out of them.
We are working hard to contribute as much as we can to the solution, wherever our help is needed.
Introduction
As you know, the Coronavirus outbreak developed seemingly out of thin air and has now gripped America tightly within the throes of a tenacious and highly contagious pandemic that has swept across the globe.
Hundreds of thousands have already been infected with this disease, with tens of thousands killed globally, including thousands here in America. The disruption caused by this virus affects not just our health, but our work, our economic wellbeing and the very fabric of the communities we live in.
While news reports state that the rate and number of those infected may not slow down for some weeks, we believe that the will and ingenuity of the American people will eventually carry the day against this scourge.
We are obviously saddened by the unexpected loss of life and the ongoing suffering by those affected by this virus. Conversely, we are overwhelmed by the contributions of all to help defeat this invisible invader with the minimal amount of pain to all Americans.
The Spark That Led To Getting Involved
The realization that Americas citizens faced an unexpected risk from COVID-19 started simply enough: a phone call from a Utah business leader to check in with a friend (in light of the Coronavirus outbreak).
The call was made by Dan Young, the successful Founder and CEO of PC Laptops and Xidax. The recipient? Sean Reyes, the Attorney General for the State of Utah.
The call was straightforward.
But after explaining that he and his family were doing well during the Coronavirus pandemic and the related stay-at-home directions from the State, he confided that the frontline law enforcement officers of the AG’s office no longer had the Coronavirus-filtering N95 masks described extensively across the Internet during the pandemic.
In fact, the Attorney General went on to explain, many police officers, firefighters, EMTs and healthcare professionals in the state were: completely out of lifesaving masks and other PPE products altogether, or that many First Responder departments and agencies around the USA are running dangerously low on such products.
Naturally, this reality struck the PC Laptops founder as having the potential to put most First Responders at risk for contracting COVID-19, while also creating a major health risk for all Americans.
How Serious is the Problem?
Following a nationwide look into the challenge communities and states face with the possibility of police officers and other law enforcement professionals being infected with COVID-19, the Associated Press published a news report on Saturday (March 28) summarizing its findings.
Among the more than 40 law enforcement agencies the AP contacted in major cities across the country, their findings were troubling:
The Detroit Police Department has over 440 of its 2,200-member squad in a coronavirus quarantine, a rate of more than 20 percent, with 39 officers that have tested positive for COVID-19 (including the Chief of Police) and two that have been killed by the virus.
In the Texas city of Houston, the Chief of Police says his department is “on the verge of running out of (protective) supplies” to protect his officers against the Coronavirus.
In New York City, over 500 police officers have currently tested positive for COVID-19 (out of a workforce of over 38,000). Additionally, over 4,100 officers called in sick this past Friday alone.
The AP story went on to quote one Fort Worth officer as saying, “I don’t think it’s too far to say our officers are scared out there.” (Sgt. Manny Ramirez, President of the Ft. Worth Police Officers Association)
According to former Boston Police Commissioner, Ed Davis, the COVID-19 pandemic is unlike any faced by American law enforcement previously.
Solving the Problem
With this context in mind, Young immediately offered to donate filtration masks from the PC Laptops / Xidax inventory to the Attorney General’s office, inventory his employees wear while assembling and servicing laptop and personal computers. And these initial filtration masks were given to Reyes and the Attorney General’s office on Friday afternoon.
Since then, Young and his PC Laptops and Xidax team (PCLaptops.com) (Xidax.com) have figuratively burned up the phone lines and email servers to identify possible sources of much needed (and certifiable) filtration masks and other PPE products available now. This outreach has been made to the dozens of distributors and manufacturers the company has relied on for decades in China and other Asian countries.
In addition, the company has launched this GoFundMe campaign as a way to:
1. Educate Americans of the previously unknown health risks currently faced by Law Enforcement officers and other First Responders.
2. Challenge Americas business leaders, citizens and friends of America to donate generously to the cause to help provide much-needed PPE and other lifesaving supplies to those professionals helping keep us safe.
Given the unexpected nature of this COVID-19 outbreak, cities, counties, states and countries around the world are confronting the same problem. It didn't take long for Attorney General Reyes and businessman Young to recognize that we don’t have enough of the right equipment to keep our people and citizens safe.
Thankfully, the PC Laptops and Xidax crew have already secured over thousands of masks and other crucial Coronavirus-fighting PPE for First Responders.
But that’s not all. We have also begun shipping supplies to New York and Washington, with more being shipped over the next few days. The team will continue to work tirelessly to identify and secure other lifesaving equipment for First Responders and healthcare professionals in the state and around the country.
According to Young, the rapid, behind-the-scenes generosity of many across the USA has been heartwarming to say the least.
“But it’s not enough,” he explained. “As I have coordinated with the Attorney General’s office, the Office of the Governor, and other organizations. I expect we’ll need to raise a few million dollars just to begin to meet the immediate Coronavirus-fighting equipment requirements of our First Responders and healthcare professionals. “I’m committed to making that happen. But to make sure it does, to help them, to help us, we need your donations. Today.”
How Can You Help?
If you want to help, please chip in $25, $50, $100, or whatever you can afford.
When you donate even $10 you supply enough protection that could save 2 frontline responders lives and the victims they are treating
If you’re a business owner and you have the means to take action, make a large donation.
One of the most important things we can do is protect our frontline responders. We need to protect them so they can protect us.
Thanks in advance for your consideration.
As the need evolves, so will our response. We’ll help medical providers and first responders access the protection gear they need.
Thank you for your help.
Dan Young