CHARLESTON, W.Va. –
“The WVNG continues to lead by example to support our community by practicing good social distancing, wearing proper PPE and using our resources to create solutions for problems that arise,” said Maj. Gen. James Hoyer, adjutant general of the WVNG. “West Virginians should not let up on the positive progress that has been made as we move forward with reopening our state. Just as I tell our service members that they are leaders in their communities, West Virginians can also be leaders across the nation for how we navigate the reopening process while ensuring we protect ourselves and those around us, including our most vulnerable populations.”
During today’s press conference, Hoyer outlined that a list of vendors for personal protective equipment (PPE) who the WVNG has worked with and have been vetted is available at www.wv.ng.mil/covid-19-faqs/. Those who are in need of procuring PPE should refer to this list in order to acquire what is needed for their business.
Additionally, Hoyer noted that the WVNG will never reach out to individual businesses or non-profit organizations from a non-government email to solicit leads for PPE training, sanitization or decontamination.
Since beginning operations in support of the state’s COVID-19 response 46 days ago, the WVNG has completed 732 missions through our six lines of effort of operationalizing of the event, stabilizing the population, providing logistical movement of critical supplies, innovation, state surge capacity and capability, and conducting data analysis to combat the virus. Currently, 705 members of the WVNG are on duty serving the citizens of the State of West Virginia.
Today, members of Task Force CRE and Task Force Medical conducted a COVID-19 testing mission at the Weirton Geriatric Center. Members also provided assistance for COVID-19 drive through testing lanes at four locations. So far, they have conducted 223 COVID-19 tests for lane support and 2,277 tests as a part of their response mission.
In addition to COVID-19 testing, Task Force CRE provided PPE training to Eldercare of Ripley while also supporting area healthcare facilities and six retail establishments with PPE training. To date, this team has trained 670 businesses, 3,382 personnel and 77 medical or long-term care facilities.
West Virginia Guard personnel assisting in sanitization lanes for first responder and public transport vehicles have sanitized 225 vehicles in two locations – Huntington and Charleston – which includes ambulances, police vehicles and public transport buses. Operating under Task Force Innovation, Guard members performed a sanitization mission at the West Virginia Capitol today while also demonstrating the process for the General Services Division.
Task Force Sustainment, our team dedicated to receiving and moving critical supplies across the state, continues their mission of distributing PPE to various county emergency managers. Yesterday, this team delivered PPE supplies to 14 counties and is working to deliver items to various regions in the state today.
In the last 24 hours, West Virginia Guardsmen and women assisted packing 1,200 box meals at the Mountaineer Food Bank and 596 family meal boxes at the Facing Hunger Food Bank in Huntington. In addition, they will deliver 4,520 meals to Greenbrier, Ohio and Raleigh Counties via refrigerated trailers.
West Virginia National Guard medical personnel augmenting DHHR’s regional epidemiology teams were able to support 214 voluntary COVID-19 mapping engagements and six expedited transfers to the state lab. To date, the state’s seven regional epidemiology teams have conducted more than 4,343 voluntary COVID-19 mappings.
All current and future missions performed by the WVNG are a part of a coordinated state-level public health preparation and response effort for the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, initiated by Governor Jim Justice, and being led by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.
B-roll footage of current and ongoing WVNG missions are available at: www.dvidshub.net/units/wv-ang