Rocky View County (RVC) firefighters are sending out a huge thank you for a donation that will help them on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

TAMS, an AECOM company, has recently donated some valuable personal protective equipment to RVC Fire Services.

“Their business was closed down or running on a reduced capacity for the time being, and they said they’d like to donate the equipment to a first responder group,” explains Gary Barnett, RVC deputy fire chief. “It’s quite a few thousand dollars worth of equipment.”

The company donated 220 North 7700 half-mask respirators. The masks are reuseable and will ensure every member on the front lines has their own mask when they respond to emergency calls involving someone potentially infected with the coronavirus.

The quantity donated allows each firefighter to have their own mask.

“They’ll be responsible to keep it clean, and keep it with them, and they know they’ve got it 24/7.”

Barnett says unlike the N95 masks, which need to be destroyed after each use, these half masks have replaceable filters and can be cleaned, and sanitized between uses.