How do I obtain cloth or surgical masks for my employees who have to interact with the public?
A recent Executive Order from Governor Cuomo directs agencies to provide “essential workers with cloth or surgical masks free of charge to wear when directly interacting with the public.” There are a few ways which this may be done.
- You may already have a source of masks and can provide them to your employees
- Contact your County Office of Emergency Management or Emergency Manager’s Office
- You may be able to find a way to have staff make them internally
Remember, highway and public works department workers are considered essential in the Executive Orders, and the US Department of Homeland Security has defined as first responders, those public works employees “that provide immediate support services during prevention, response, and recovery operations.”
However you obtain the masks, please contact the County Office of Emergency Management so they can log the need and use of the masks into NY Responds.
Resources:
NYS Department of Health 202.16Interim Guidance on Executive Order 202.16 Requiring Face Coverings for Public and Private Employees Interacting with the Public During the COVID-19 Outbreak
https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/04/doh_covid19_eo20216employeefacecovering_041420.pdf
- Homeland Security Presidential Directive
https://fas.org/irp/offdocs/nspd/hspd-8.html - NY Responds, NYS Homeland Security and Emergency Services
http://www.dhses.ny.gov/ny-responds/ - Executive Order 202.16
https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/no-20216-continuing-temporary-suspension-and-modification-laws-relating-disaster-emergency
