BIW donates more than 3,000 protective masks to health workers in Maine

Bath Iron Works donated more than 3,000 medical-grade N95 respirator masks to MaineHealth on Tuesday.

The 3,200 protective masks will be distributed based on need to the hospitals and other facilities in the health system operates in Maine, the shipyard said in a statement.

“We appreciate the support that companies like Bath Iron Works are providing us,” MaineHealth spokesman John Porter said. “Donations of personal protective equipment, like these N95 masks, are incredibly helpful. And this kind of demonstration of community support sends a wonderful message to our care team.”

“We commend health care workers in Maine and around the country for their tremendous dedication during this difficult time,” BIW President Dirk Lesko said.

The donation to MaineHealth, the state’s largest integrated health care system, comes after the shipyard’s parent company, General Dynamics, donated protective equipment to Bellevue Hospital in New York City last week.

General Dynamics says it has donated more than 21,000 pieces of protective equipment to sites in New York City and Chicago. Those donations have included N95 masks, suits, boot covers and face masks.

This week, Central Maine Power Company announced it was donating more than 6,000 protective masks to the Maine Emergency Management Agency. Those masks will be supplied to state health care workers and first responders treating patients infected with the novel coronavirus that is causing the COVID-19 disease.