Harrisburg, Pa. - Several Pennsylvania National Guard members were assigned March 25 to support a warehouse mission with the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
The Guard members are assisting with unloading N95 surgical masks and other personal protective equipment at a DOH warehouse for distribution across the Commonwealth.
“I was called up on Friday, March 20, to assist PEMA in their efforts to combat the COVID-19 virus,“ said Spc. Jose Delacruz of Philadelphia.
Delacruz is a member of Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 228th Transportation Motor Transport Battalion, 213th Regional Support Group. His military occupation is a human resources specialist but as a civilian, he works for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as a Transportation Security Administration officer at the Philadelphia International Airport.
In addition to this warehouse mission, other Pennsylvania National Guard members continue to support a community testing site in Montgomery County. Others are standing by in anticipation to be activated, if needed, to support additional tasks with the Guard's interagency partners.
As of Wednesday, DOH confirmed that there are 1,127 positive cases of COVID-19, in 44 counties.
Pennsylvania National Guard senior leaders urge all members to adhere to the latest guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control to protect against and prevent the spread of the virus, including practicing rigorous protocols for personal hygiene and implementing social distancing techniques.
During times like this, the Pa. Guard has a unique role to support the community and maintain mission readiness to support PEMA during state emergencies, such as the COVID-19 operation.
“Anybody would be scared in this situation, but I feel it’s my patriotic duty as a Pennsylvania National Guardsman to help our fellow citizens," Delacruz said. "Therefore, the need to assist supersedes any fears I have.”