Portsmouth teams with veterans to supply face masks

PORTSMOUTH — The Town of Portsmouth is working with the local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) post to manufacture face masks for local first responders and citizens.

The exceptionally high use rate of medical-grade face respirators by health care professionals, has resulted in a need for a suitable alternative to offer protection for first responders and citizens. With the development of ways to produce alternative masks, the town is in need of people with sewing talents and suitable fabric to make them.

Portsmouth VFW Post 5390 is coordinateing the local manufacture of masks and needs the public's help. The post is accepting donations of fabric, clothing, quality bed sheets and elastics. Additional sewing machines and volunteers to sew are also needed

Fabric and elastics can be dropped off at the bin outside the VFW hall (822 Anthony Road in Common Fence Point). Although no cash donations can now be accepted, residents are asked to “buy local” from nearby local fabric story. For more information or to volunteer, call the VFW post at 401/835-3819. 

The effort is part of the town’s larger program to find available personal protective equipment (PPE) and make them available to first responders. For more information, contact Andy Vanier at the Portsmouth Emergency Operations Center at 401/643-0327, or COVID@PortsdmouthRI.com.