Justin Baustert Photo
Prisma Health received a shipment of approximately 1.5 million surgical masks via a Boeing Dreamlifter directly from China to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in Greer Sunday.
Prisma Health purchased the masks in late March but was unable to quickly move the shipment out of China.
Sunday’s delivery is the largest single personal protective equipment delivery made to healthcare providers by Boeing as part of its national pandemic response.
“It’s a win-win for South Carolina healthcare providers and a perfect example of private companies working with elected officials to help healthcare workers and the people they serve,” said Mark O’Halla, president and chief executive officer of Prisma Health. “We very much appreciate Boeing’s support during these challenging times of securing necessary supplies. By standing together, we all stand stronger.”
The Medical University of South Carolina, which is located near Boeing’s manufacturing plant in Charleston, donated 100,000 of the masks by Boeing.
Prisma Health, which already has pandemic supplies and has been aggressively ramping up its supply inventory since January, will use its surgical masks as part of its proactive universal masking of all patients, employees and visitors.
“Prisma Health constantly works to secure new supplies,” said Chad Richard, executive director of supply chain for Prisma Health. “We finalized the contract in late March but were unable to quickly move the shipment out of China. “While we already had a good supply of masks and have smaller shipments coming in on a regular basis, we were eager to get that shipment here since, by itself, it could serve our system’s needs for approximately four weeks.”
Critical to this supply-chain solution was Greenville resident Neil Ferrier, owner of design firm Discommon, the importer of record for the delivery. Ferrier had reached out to Prisma Health – through U.S. Rep. William Timmons – to offer his help with securing additional masks. Ferrier then sourced the masks from trusted manufacturers in China and turned to Boeing and Atlas Air to facilitate their transport to Prisma Health, which ordered the supplies.
“When I realized that obtaining masks was a huge issue for healthcare systems, I realized that I was in a unique position to make a difference,” said Ferrier. Because of his connections at Clemson University, the Clemson alumnus was also able to connect Prisma Health to Boeing.
“I’m incredibly grateful to be part of this project – the wild path to getting here is movie-worthy,” said Ferrier. “While every step of this logistics process has been incredibly daunting, Boeing and Atlas Air have been astonishing throughout, with both companies 100% committed to making today’s transport mission possible.
“It’s incredible that South Carolina has the backing of companies that can lend their vital transportation logistics support to this very complex challenge,” Ferrier said. “Although this project isn’t in our typical wheelhouse of industrial design and manufacturing, the ultimate goal of design is to solve problems beautifully, and we’ve all come together to do just that.”
“Today, we proudly welcome Boeing and Atlas Air to Greenville,” said Timmons. “When I was first approached by Discommon in Greenville, I knew these masks would make a huge difference for our health care workers at Prisma Health who are on the front lines fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.”