Air Products Helps People Near California Wildfires Breathe a Little Easier

Air Products has sent 10,000 surgical masks to improve breathing air for those in the California wildfires area.  Air Products has an Electronics Specialty Materials plant in Carlsbad, California, so when wildfires flamed out of control, the Air Products family felt the effects close to home.  That insight, and teamwork among Air Products’ local plant, corporate headquarters, and Air Products Healthcare facilities across the country, allowed the company to fill a special need by providing surgical masks to the Red Cross for distribution in the area.

Local sources, including plant employees and regional contacts with relationships to our Community Relations department, had been keeping Air Products up-to-date on the wildfire situation, including the fact that there were more urgent and specific needs than a cash donation.  People in the area were in desperate need of medical surgical masks to filter out airborne particles of soot and ash.  The air quality in the region is extremely poor, and local media has reported an increase in hospital visits from people with breathing trouble.  County officials, the Red Cross, and local shelters all asked for more surgical masks to be sent to meet the enormous demand.  Last Wednesday, Air Products sent the word out to its Healthcare division in the U.S.—a branch of the company that supplies gases and equipment for medical needs.  Healthcare tapped local supplies of surgical masks to send 10,000 masks to San Diego.  The first shipment of masks was delivered on Thursday, October 25, with additional shipments arriving the following day and on October 29^th.   

“We know that when the fires are contained – the work doesn’t end.  There will be a long-term need to support the community and rebuild,” said Eileen Turner, plant manager, Carlsbad for Air Products.  “We have been a part of the Carlsbad business community for over 20 years, and plan to stay in close contact with elected officials and local agencies to see how we can best help.”

For more information, contact Rob Brown at 610-481-1192.