There was a steady flow of cars dropping off everything from masks to hospital gowns in an unusual community drive on the South Coast. Cottage Health launched a drive Tuesday to collect donated medical supplies from the community.
Brett Tande is Cottage’s Chief Financial Officer. He explains why the health care network needs the help. He says Cottage has had everything from masks to gowns on backorder with manufacturers since January. Short term, Tande says they have enough supplies, but are doing the drive because they are worried about what will happen if the crisis expands locally, and continues into May or June.
Matt Malden is one of the people who stopped by to drop off items at the event in the Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital parking lot. He had some masks that family members had sent them during the Thomas Fire, but were never used. He’s glad that they might help now.
There were also some major donations. For instance, Westmont College donated a thousand N95 masks.
Meanwhile, a similar drive has been launched in Ventura County, seeking everything from surgical, and N95 masks to isolation gowns. Ventura County’s list also include baby monitors, so patients can be remotely monitored. People can drop off items at the Ventura County Community Foundation’s Office in Camarillo.
In Santa Barbara County, the drive will continue all this week in the Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital parking lot, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
