Two North Fork companies are working together to provide face shields to fire departments, ambulance agencies, and hospitals across the East End for use when dealing with patients suspected of having Covid-19.
Greenport Harbor Brewing Co. and William J. Mills and Company, a multigenerational awning and custom canvas and cushion company in Greenport, started producing the face shields on April 8 in the brewery’s 4,000-square-foot space that is now closed under Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s executive order. They thought they could make 300 to 500 per day, Richard Vandenburgh, an owner of the brewery, said. They ended up making 3,000 in the first three days and are now producing 1,000 to 1,400 each day.
Bill Beckert, the president of the East Hampton Town Chiefs Association and a former Amagansett Fire Department chief, said the eight departments in the association received 700 face shields last week. Bruce Bates, who is helping the town coordinate efforts, had the town pick up and distribute the shields. 
“I think everybody is grateful for every piece of equipment we can get. Face shields haven’t been as abundant,” Mr. Beckert said. “It’s an amazing thing to know our local businesses are out supporting our hospitals and first responders and looking out for us.”
Mr. Vandenburgh was inspired to create the personal protective equipment by people in Washington State, who found ways to make face shields for hospital workers when the coronavirus first started spreading in a nursing home there. Then, an employee at Greenport Harbor Brewing became the first person in the county diagnosed with Covid-19. “It’s nice to feel that we can at least pivot and do something good,” he said.
As he began to look into the idea of creating a face shield, he found that Jamie and Bobby Mills at the awning company had already begun working on prototypes. The two companies began to work together. The Millses had the Computer Numerical Control table machine to cut out the 30-gauge clear vinyl glass for the face shields and the brewing company had the space for assembly. Stony Brook University Hospital approved the prototype, Mr. Vandenburgh said.
A GoFundMe.com page was set up to offset the costs of making the face shields, dubbed Operation Covid-19 Defense. The goal was $25,000, but over $40,000 had been raised by early this week. Each mask costs about $2 to make. The business owners are working on a prototype for gowns for health care providers to wear, according to the GoFundMe page.
Mr. Vandenburgh said 16 volunteers work in two shifts, set up at stations at least six feet apart, on an assembly line for various other duties, like to apply a foam piece that lies against the wearer’s head, double-stick tape for the plastic to wrap around a head. Students from the Southold School robotics club have also been assisting.
In addition to all the fire departments and ambulance agencies on both forks, 1,500 have been delivered to the three hospitals on the East End, including 500 to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital. Another 1,200 have been requested by hospitals. Police departments have also received shields, and now post offices and nursing homes have put in requests too, Mr. Vandenburgh said.
