As area first responders experience a shortage of potentially life-saving coronavirus supplies, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced the Cook County Department of Emergency Management and Regional Security (EMRS) distributed more than 33,600 N95 masks and an additional 38,800 gloves and gowns for the use of regional first responders immediately.
Roughly 86 jurisdictions across Cook County received personal protective equipment from the county to support police, fire and EMS personnel. The distribution, most of which took place March 20, came from the county’s emergency supply cache, with additional equipment from the State of Illinois.
Preckwinkle also launched a new emergency text alert system, hotline number and email address to keep the public informed with accurate information regarding COVID-19.
The hotline number is 708-633-3319 and the email address is ccdph.COVID19@cookcountyhhs.org; they will be staffed 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
For more information, visit CookCountyIL.gov or CookCountyPublicHealth.org, and follow the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ccdph) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/cookcohealth).