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WORTHINGTON – Congressman Troy Balderson (R-OH) and Ohio’s bipartisan, bicameral congressional delegation sent a letter to FEMA Administrator Peter Gaynor urging swift approval of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s request for additional personal protective equipment (PPE) for Ohio’s frontline health care workers.

“As Ohio’s number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise, so does demand for protective gear such as gowns and masks for our frontline workers,” said Balderson. “Swift federal action is required for our state to get adequate supplies we need to fight this battle.”

The letter specifically urges the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to approve DeWine’s April 16 request for additional PPE for Ohio’s workers, with an emphasis on gowns, surgical masks, and N95 respirators. FEMA is overseen by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, on which Balderson sits.

“COVID-19 has depleted Ohio’s supplies of PPE and other necessary supplies, which are critical for protecting the health and wellbeing of our state’s essential workers and limiting transmission to their family members and other members of the community,” the letter writes. “We have heard from multiple hospitals and the state government in Ohio that additional PPE is desperately needed. Without sufficient PPE, Ohio risks losing the progress it has made in combatting COVID-19.”

Read the full letter.

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