PG&E is donating nearly 1 million protective masks from the supply it keeps on hand for crews responding to fires and construction zones, to distribute to California hospitals and first responders, company officials said Friday.
The 480,000 N95 masks and 470,000 surgical masks will go to the Governor's Office of Emergency Services, for hospitals and those on the front lines facing a critical shortage of protective equipment.
The company maintains a supply of masks for utility crews working in construction zones or responding to wildfires, Andy Vesey, PG&E CEO and president said.
PG&E is donating as many as possible to Cal OES, but maintaining sufficient numbers for field workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and to prepare for the upcoming fire season, Vesey said.
In addition, PG&E employees also are collecting masks and other equipment from their personal emergency kits to donate to hospitals and emergency services responders in their local areas.
The utility and the PG&E Corporation Foundation is also contributing $1 million to nonprofits that are helping people facing food shortages, as well as small businesses that are impacted by public health emergency. The donations come from shareholder funds, not customers, PG&E said.
