By Ryan Leshko
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Maryland manufacturer Hardwire LLC donated 200,000 face shields to the Maryland Department of Education to help in the state’s fight against the coronavirus, the governor’s office announced Monday.
The shields will be used by teachers, faculty members and staff at schools throughout the state. The donation comes as the number of COVID-19 cases in Maryland has increased over the past few weeks.
Gov. Larry Hogan accepted the donation during a press event at Annapolis High School yesterday. In a Twitter post, he said the company is one of 300 local organizations that have provided help during the pandemic.
“This is exactly what we mean when we say #MarylandUnites—we’re all in this together, and we will get through this together,” Hogan wrote.
In a press release, Hogan said: “After spending months ramping up our stockpile of PPE, Maryland now has a 90-day emergency supply of the most critical resources and has distributed more than 78 million units of PPE. “This donation of face shields from Hardwire will help Maryland further boost our critical stockpile and prepare our state to face this surge of COVID-19.”
In addition to Maryland, Hardwire donated 2 million face shields to the New York City Department of Education two weeks ago.
Hardwire CEO George Tunis joined Hogan at Annapolis High School Monday and stressed the importance of safety.
“As a working father of four with a working spouse, and as an employer of essential workers who have families of their own, we understand how important it is to ensure schools are open, safe, and functional for teachers, staff, students, and their families,” Tunis said. “Our goal is to help offer another line of defense to ensure they remain safe and operational as long as possible.”
Hardwire is located in Pocomoke City, Maryland. According to its website, the company manufactures protective armor for the military, law enforcement, municipalities, private business, consumers and school systems.