Battelle will begin accepting N95 filtration masks that have been used by first responders or health care professionals, the city said in a news release.
Masks will be inspected and will go through a decontamination process up to 20 times, enhancing the life expectancy of the equipment that is vital in the fight against COVID-19.
The Battelle/Fort Worth site will be a regional hub and serve Texans from the Panhandle to the Piney Woods.
The decontamination program is being operated by the City of Fort Worth in conjunction with Battelle Memorial Institute, the Department of State Health Services and the North Central Texas Trauma Regional Advisory Council.
The city news website said to allow current personal protective equipment (PPE) inventories to continue to stay above minimum numbers, the Food and Drug Administration has approved Battelle to decontaminate N95 masks that are routinely considerable disposable.
The site in Fort Worth will eventually be able to process up to 80,000 masks every 24 hours and is a regional hub from the Panhandle to the Piney Woods.
“We are pleased to partner with a highly-recognized organization such as Battelle to help coordinate this process of prolonging our PPE,” said Fort Worth Fire Chief James Davis. “It will allow Fort Worth to help our regional health care partners while continuing to provide care and maintain our inventory of N95 masks.”
Health care organizations and first responder agencies must register to receive information.
To register: https://bit.ly/BattelleFW
– FWBP Staff
Fort Worth to host decontamination unit for N95 masks
