Gateway Technical College will donate personal protective healthcare equipment from its Allied Health and Emergency Medical Services programs to area healthcare facilities and emergency medical services agencies which find themselves short of the items as they grapple with the COVID-19 outbreak.

“We appreciate the clinical site healthcare providers’ dedication to Gateway and its students, and we are doing what we can to help them protect our healthcare workers at the bedside who are running short on gowns and masks,” said Vicki Hulback, dean of Gateway’s School of Health. “These supplies are needed to decrease their risk of exposure to COVID-19.”

At Gateway, this equipment is used by students to train for careers in health care, veterinary science and EMS. The donation includes gowns, masks, gloves, goggles and shields.

“Everyone is short of this equipment now, and I felt we need to be involved and help EMTs, paramedics and local fire departments,” said Tim Williamson, director of Gateway’s EMS programs. “We do have some equipment that we use for learning purposes, but the community need is much greater because of the pandemic. That need supersedes our need for that equipment right now.”

Hulback said equipment was donated to the Kenosha Fire Department, Froedtert South, Ascension All Saints Hospital in Racine, Aurora Kenosha, Brookside Care Center and Vista Healthcare.

Gateway’s Allied Health and EMS programs hold classes on the Kenosha Campus, Elkhorn Campus, Racine Campus and in Burlington at the HERO Center.