LOS ANGELES – April 29, 2020 –
To meet the surge in demand for COVID-19 respiratory protective gear, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Logistics Victory Los Angeles (LoVLA) have signed an agreement with Honeywell to purchase 24 million N95 masks as part of a City stockpile of personal protective equipment (PPE).
“Healthcare providers are doing heroic work in this crisis — and we can’t let equipment shortages get in the way of saving lives,” said Mayor Garcetti. “Every dollar, every minute, every offer of help counts right now. I’m grateful for Honeywell’s partnership with the City, which will help us get needed supplies to critical workers with more ease and reliability.”
These N95 masks were purchased at a competitive market rate and will be manufactured domestically at a Honeywell plant in Phoenix, Arizona. Production of the masks will start in May and continue for 24 months. Masks will be distributed at cost to hospitals and health care providers in need through the LoVLA effort.
“Responding to COVID-19 is an all-hands-on-deck effort, and Honeywell is proud of our role in providing essential equipment to the first responders and medical professionals we are relying on during this crisis,” said John Waldron, president and CEO, Honeywell Safety and Productivity Solutions. “We’re working hard to ensure governments, states and cities like Los Angeles are able to get the supplies and resources they need.”
The agreement with Honeywell was negotiated through the City’s General Services Department and LoVLA, the City program created by Mayor Garcetti and headed by Gene Seroka, the Port of Los Angeles Executive Director and the City’s appointed Chief Logistics Officer during the crisis. LoVLA is tasked with linking COVID-19 personal protective equipment suppliers with organizations in need.
“N95 masks are a must-have for the front line, but high demand has meant reliable supply chains have been difficult to find, said Seroka. “Honeywell has stepped in and shown exemplary corporate citizenship in this partnership with Los Angeles."
Suppliers of Personal Protective Equipment and entities in need of supplies during this health emergency are encouraged to register their resources and needs at
www.LoVLA.org
.
If you are a registered garment and apparel manufacturer and you are interested in assisting in the effort to make non-medical masks or if need to purchase non-medical masks, please visit
Coronavirus.LACity.org/LAProtects
to find out more.
The Port of Los Angeles remains open with all terminals operational during the COVID-19 pandemic and serves as the temporary homeport of the Naval hospital ship USNS Mercy. North America’s leading seaport by container volume and cargo value, the Port of Los Angeles facilitated $276 billion in trade during 2019. San Pedro Bay port complex operations and commerce facilitate one in nine jobs in the five-county Southern California region.
