Sub base security personnel received a donation of medical masks. Then they were taken away.
A recent donation of medical masks for security personnel at the Naval Submarine Base, who man the main entrance and check the indentification of those coming in, among other tasks, was abruptly taken away.
Joe Dolan, a police officer at the base and president of the union that represents about 300 civilian employees working there, including 25 security workers, said they were told by base officials that the masks would be retained for use in future emergency situations.
"This is the first pandemic since 1918. The president has declared this a national emergency. (Gov. Ned) Lamont has declared this a public health emergency," Dolan said of the novel coronavirus outbreak. "I get it if it's an emergency and we don't have the equipment, but we have the equipment."
Security personnel at the base are being directed to wear cloth masks and face coverings recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Navy and the Department of Defense. The base's security department distributed cloth masks to personnel Tuesday and Wednesday.
Dolan said these workers deserve higher quality masks and protective equipment like that being used by first responders, given they come into close contact with hundreds of people daily as part of their job duties, unlike the general public who the CDC recommends wear the cloth masks. He said he's received calls about this, not only from the civilians the union represents but also Navy sailors, who work alongside them, asking for help.
Base spokesman Chris Zendan said that medical and surgical type masks the base has received from the Navy's supply, as well as local government and community agencies, are being reserved for "emergencies when medical staff or first responders must be in close proximity to COVID-19 and/or presumed COVID-19 infected personnel."
Starting March 13, the base began a "touchless" process to access the base: Those seeking to gain entry must present their identification with the barcode facing forward so security personnel can scan it without physically having to touch the person's credentials. That has "significantly reduced any exposure or cross-transmission risks to security as well as accessing personnel, and the interactions have been maintained at a few seconds for each encounter," Zendan said.
Capt. Todd Moore, commanding officer of the sub base, said in a statement that the base is prioritizing the safety of its sailors, civilian workforce and their families, as well as safeguarding "our national security capabilities" and supporting "the president’s whole-of-nation response."
"We devote ourselves to all those priorities, recognizing we can’t let the ball drop in any of them without affecting the others. I have strong confidence that the virus mitigation measures my team has put in place carefully balance personal safety with our enduring need to support the submarine force mission. Furthermore, I will not hesitate to take additional actions if changing conditions warrant," Moore said.
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