Hamilton Medical Contributes to Hurricane Relief Efforts
Responding to the needs of those caught in the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Hamilton Medical Inc, Reno, Nev, is providing Raphael and Galileo ventilators to assist with the needs of patients in Louisiana. “We are glad to be able to offer assistance. Hamilton’s thoughts are with those affected by this tragedy,” says David Costa, Hamilton Medical vice president. “We are thankful to those caregivers in the area hospitals who are taking extraordinary measures to preserve life.”
Hamilton Medical was aided in this effort by UTi, United States Inc, Reno, which provided the airfreight transportation required to get the instruments to those in need.
Viasys Ships Ventilators to Baton Rouge
Viasys Healthcare Inc, Conshohocken, Pa, recently initiated an emergency shipment of 19 ventilators to Baton Rouge, La, to support the increase in hospital services due to the damage caused by the hurricane. The equipment was used to treat patients the same evening it was received. Pulmonetic Systems Inc, Minneapolis, a VIASYS subsidiary, shipped an additional 20 ventilators to support the rescue efforts, making a total of 39 that were made available. VIASYS Healthcare will also be responding with a targeted relief effort coordinated through its corporate office. As part of the corporate contribution to this effort, the company will match dollar for dollar all donations received from company employees.
Hurricane Victims With Apnea Get Help
Awake In America Inc, Philadelphia, has launched a relief program for victims of Hurricane Katrina, geared specifically to aid individuals who had previously been diagnosed with sleep apnea and were receiving xPAP (CPAP, BiPAP, etc) therapy. The program, Operation Restore CPAP, will be available to individuals in federally declared disaster areas who lost their xPAP equipment due to flooding. Operation Restore CPAP is a streamlined version of Awake In America’s xPAP Donation and Relief Program, which was established 1 year ago and helped more than 100 individuals around the United States. Applications for those who lost equipment in Hurricane Katrina may be downloaded at www.awakeinamerica.org/
katrina/application.pdf.
Sunrise Medical Responds to Katrina’s Devastation
Sunrise Medical, Longmont, Colo, reacted to the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina with support and a coordinated response to address the immediate needs of those affected by the storm. Sunrise has been working with organizations such as the American Red Cross to provide immediate in-kind DeVilbiss® Respiratory, Quickie® Mobility, and BioClinic® Support Surface product donations. The company has already shipped medical products to aid evacuees in several cities located in the southern United States.
Sunrise has also launched a disaster relief fund, which is encouraging cash donations by its employees. The employee donations will be matched by the company and then forwarded to the American Red Cross.
Hans Rudolph Sends CPAP Gear To Hurricane Victims With OSA
In an effort to assist displaced hurricane victims, Hans Rudolph Inc (HRI), Kansas City, Mo, is donating equipment to the disaster relief effort coordinated by Awake in America. “Since most OSA patients have come to depend on their masks and CPAP/bilevel blower devices for their nightly sleeping, they will not be able to survive without them very long,” says Kelly Rudolph, HRI marketing and sales manager. “We are donating new nasal and full face masks, headgear, seal accessories, mask sizing calipers, and other equipment so these patients can at least get one of the most important aspects of their life back, which is their complete night’s sleep. We hope our donations will save lives.”
Invacare Fills Need for American Red Cross Shelters
Invacare Corp, Elyria, Ohio, shipped a truckload of wheelchairs, nebulizers, and oxygen equipment to the American Red Cross in Lafayette, La. Its partner in the endeavor, All Pro Freight Systems Inc, Avon, Ohio, agreed to ship the product at no cost. The medical equipment is being shipped to the American Red Cross’ Special Needs Centers in LaFayette, and to the field house at Louisiana State University. Both centers are equipped with a full medical staff.
Kimberly-Clark Provides Support
Kimberly-Clark Corp, Dallas, recently contributed $250,000 and product donations worth nearly $350,000 to support relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. As an employer in Mobile, Ala, with approximately 800 employees, Kimberly-Clark is directing $150,000 of the cash amount to the Alabama Gulf Coast Chapter of the American Red Cross to aid victims in Alabama and Mississippi, with the remaining $100,000 earmarked for New Orleans.
Through its consumer and business-to-business groups, nearly $200,000 of personal hygiene products and commercial wipers are being delivered to AmeriCares, a nonprofit disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization assisting victims in the area. To aid medical facilities in the region, Kimberly-Clark’s Health Care business is providing about $150,000 of health care products.
In addition, Kimberly-Clark, through its foundation, will match dollar-for-dollar all employee contributions made to qualified disaster relief agencies.
TRG Aids in Disaster Relief
TRG, St Louis, recently sent approximately 5,000 oxygen regulators to FEMA in the devastated Gulf Region. The company was able to distribute cylinders immediately to providers in the area that were able to make and receive orders. TRG continues to work around the clock and recently held benefit luncheons during which employees donated more than $3,000 (so far). The company matched every penny, bringing the total to over $6,000. The total will be donated to the American Red Cross.
