WEWS: Companies, non-profits getting creative to help Ohio’s medical professionals stay safe
By: Kevin Barry
WEWS ABC 5 Cleveland
BEACHWOOD, Ohio — While Ohio’s doctors, nurses, and other hospital staff put themselves at risk to treat patients with the coronavirus, private businesses and non-profits are getting creative to try to keep everyone safe.
MakerGear in Beachwood normally makes 3D printers that can print almost anything else for schools and businesses. During the COVID-19 outbreak, MakerGear is printing one important component of a face shield to use with purchased and donated materials to make hundreds of face shields a day for local hospitals.
“I was prepared to pay for them,” said University Hospitals Nurse Robin Brunkala when she picked up about 20 masks from MakerGear. “That is really servicing us.”
A table at MakerGear shows prototypes of masks and shields, part of it's effort to improve the design even while they are donating shields they've already made. Brunkala showed up at about the same time as Lake Health officials, both picking up as many masks as MakerGear could pull together.
“People are asking for help,” said MakerGear Founder Rick Pollack.
That’s why he’s doing his best to find whatever elastic bands he can, even buying headbands at local stores for his employees to cut apart and use for the shields. He says he’s purchased enough plastic to create shields for the next few days. His handful of 3D printers are now working around the clock to create the plastic piece that holds the elastic and the plastic shield.