As Fallston Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Company officers and members began establishing plans and procedures related to responses involving potential or confirmed Covid 19 patients, it was clearly evident very early that we needed to find a method of maintaining a safe environment for our members as well as for our patients. Assistant Chief Bob Colaianni recommended that for our firefighters and EMS members who were already issued personal masks for their self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), rather than provide the single use N95 masks, we obtain readily available industrial filters that are complaint with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and compatible for use with our SCBA masks.
Assistant Chief Colaianni ordered a supply of the SCBA mask adapters and the filter elements for our members quite easily. However, the required connector to attach the filter to the adapter was found to be not available from all online or vendor supply chain sources for an estimated ten weeks.
At approximately 9 P.M. this past Tuesday evening Assistant Chief Colianni reached out to other members of the FVFAC inquiring if anyone had access to 3D Printing through their professional occupations or any other means. FVFAC EMS Captain Jon Acker immediately replied that as the Chief Technology Officer at CAD-Ray.com, a national dental technology enterprise, he has access to many dental labs that are experts at 3D printing.
FVFAC officers were able to get a specification sheet from the manufacturer for the vital part we needed. By 9:30 P.M. EMS Captain Acker was able to reach out to his associates in the dental lab industry via text, email, and of course, through social media.
Within minutes, representatives from dental labs in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, and Michigan had responded saying they would be happy to help. EMS Captain Acker sent the specifications to each of them and awaited their further replies.
By 11 PM, the lab in Michigan replied that one of their technicians, was already working on having the first group of connectors printed. At 2 PM the next day we received word that the first set was printed, and was on the way to Fallston. By 10 A.M. Thursday we had our first set of connectors in hand, verified their fit and function, and issued them to members of the FVFAC. Additional shipments have now been received from the Michigan lab and from those in other states also.
Needless to say, EMS Captain Acker and the entire membership of the FVFAC are grateful for the cooperation of all of the lab owners who jumped in to help the FVFAC in this time of great need, especially Patriot Dental Lab who went to work immediately and had these much needed parts in our hands in less than 30 hours, from 10 states away!
American industry has so much to give during this time of crisis, and on behalf of CAD-Ray.com and the Fallston Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Company we commend and thank all of the true Patriots who jumped in to help when we needed it most. Your help will never be forgotten!
photo credit FVFAC
To contact EMS Captain Jon Acker for additional info on the 3D printing process
please email him at 16662@fvfac.org
