Police officers from Lexington and Lincoln arrive at Minuteman High School to pick up donations of personal protective equipment to assist in the coronavirus emergency on March 23 in the school’s automotive shop. (Minuteman Photo)
Minuteman Regional Vocational Technical High School on Monday donated more than 300 packages of various types of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the Lexington and Lincoln police and fire departments, along with Emerson Hospital in Concord, to assist in the coronavirus response.
Minuteman joins several other vocational-technical high schools across Massachusetts that have donated items such as face and respirator masks, hospital gowns, gloves, eyewear, and hand sanitizer amid a global shortage of such items during the public health crisis.
Minuteman, like other vocational-technical schools, has PPE on hand for students in programs such as biotechnology, environmental science, health assisting, culinary arts, cosmetology, automotive technology, electrical, carpentry, and early education. Donations were also received from the nurse’s office, science classrooms, and administrative offices.
“Thank you so much to Minuteman,” the Lincoln Police Department wrote on its Facebook page. “We’re certainly receiving this in a time of need, as such equipment is on backorder.”
“The police, fire, and medical workers in our communities are putting their health at risk everyday to care for us during this unprecedented emergency,” said Edward A. Bouquillon, Superintendent-Director for Minuteman. “At Minuteman High School, many of our students are the next generation of nurses and EMTs. Helping one another through any sort of crisis is part of who we are.”
Minuteman has also donated food to local organizations providing free food during the Covid-19 emergency.
This is an indirect gift to all of us.