Nurse collects protective gear for front-line workers
In times where many find their minds racing with COVID-19 anxiety, Criselle Lamarca is listening to her heart.
The Orlando registered nurse, seeing the impacts the virus can have on her hospital and fellow frontline healthcare workers, is holding a donation event to collect personal protective equipment (PPE).
“I want to do this for any healthcare provider that needs it,” Lamarca said. “I said, ‘I don’t know how this is going to go, but this is coming from my heart and we’re running with it.’ ”
On Friday, in the parking lot of Hardcore Fitness Bootcamp in Winter Park, a small team of volunteers will staff the drive-thru donation station to collect
N95 face masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, gowns and other PPE necessities.
Lamarca said that while Orlando-area hospitals might have enough PPE currently, that may not be the case down the road.
“I know the hospitals and our management try, as much as possible, to conserve PPE while providing it to those healthcare providers who need them,” she said. “The worry is, if we’re OK today, we might not be tomorrow or we might not be in the next few weeks.”
In the twoand-a-half weeks it has taken Lamarca to set up the event, she’s received many positive responses from the community and supplies from two other states. Monetary donations aren’t being accepted, as the Orlando nurse plans to collect only items that are readily available.
The most-needed item among healthcare professionals continues to be the N95 masks that are hard to come by.
Lamarca said homemade or other basic surgical masks are welcome but aren’t nearly as protective.
Though many Central Floridians are following the rules and staying home, Lamarca said that this event is essential to helping healthcare workers in the community.