Palisadian Johnny McMahon Collects PPE from Local Businesses to Donate to Frontline Workers
By LILY TINOCO | Reporter
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals and healthcare facilities have suffered a shortage of personal protective equipment for its staff. Healthcare workers were—and are—in need of such equipment, including gloves and respirator masks, also known as N95 masks, to protect them from being exposed to the virus themselves.
When Palisadian Johnny McMahon found that his wife Eileen, who works as a nurse in the the surgery department at St. John’s in Santa Monica, was faced with a shortage of PPE amid a surge, he decided to take a form of action.
“This was the height, when things were getting really bad, people need these masks,” McMahon said to the Palisadian-Post. “I thought, ‘Hey I’m going to make some phone calls, send some emails to see if I can acquire some masks and get them to St. John’s and the St. John’s Foundation where my wife works.’”
McMahon reached out to Peter Longo whose family is connected to Longo Toyota and was able to receive a donation of 16 boxes of N95 masks and gloves. McMahon also reached out to the owner of 76 gas station in the Palisades, who provided boxes of gloves.
He received donations from Caliber Collision as well, after reaching out to the man who serviced his car weeks ago.
“I called the guy who serviced my car, and he said he’d help me out,” McMahon said. “It was easy as that, I met him once, he serviced my car and he said, ‘I got a box of masks, I’ll give you some gloves.’”
“A couple of other local Santa Monica businesses responded and donated gloves, and it was just a small thing that made me feel good and was giving back to my community, doing something for my wife and first responders,” McMahon continued.
McMahon was able to gather and donate car loads of masks and gloves to St. John’s.
He agreed that seeking these donations is attainable.
“Everyone probably knows an auto paint shop or a gas station or is friends with somebody at a car dealership,” McMahon said. “You just ask, the worst they can do is say no.”
Auto body shops, auto dealers and paint shops are just a few businesses that typically have respirator masks and other forms of PPE like gloves. Additional businesses include nail salons and hardware stores.
The equipment may have been originally purchased with other intentions, but can save lives if they are donated to protect healthcare workers instead.
Editor’s note: A previous version of this story incorrectly reported that Eileen worked in the emergency room and has been updated to the surgery department.
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