Olean, NY – April 2, 2020 – With schools closed indefinitely as COVID-19 cases continue to rise in New York, the Cattaraugus-Allegany BOCES (CA BOCES) organization saw an opportunity to help the community, specifically medical facilities in Cattaraugus and Allegany counties, with the donation of a variety of medical supplies.
Currently, many local and state-wide medical facilities are experiencing shortages in protective gear for front-line healthcare workers including masks, gloves, gowns, and cleaning supplies due to the outbreak. Several programs at CA BOCES Career and Technical Education Centers and in the Adult Learning sector focus on the medical or care fields including Animal Science, Medical Assisting, New Visions, Dental Assisting, Practical Nursing, Home Health, and Phlebotomy. With the extended closure, medical supplies normally used in the training of students in these areas was stockpiled.
CA BOCES Assistant Superintendent for Career and Technical Education Programs, James Schifley, said it just made sense to help the community. “These are unprecedented times and we need to be creative,” he said. “We have several training programs that require a wide-range of medical supplies. With CA BOCES CTE locations in Belmont, Ellicottville and Olean, it seemed liked a great way to support our various communities – the communities our students and staff live in – in a very concrete way.”
Both county emergency services departments were contacted and provided an inventory list of available equipment and supplies. Cattaraugus County reached out and needed supplies immediately while Allegany County said they would review the list and contact CABOCES as the need for particular items arrive.The donations included gloves, masks, gowns, cleaning supplies, Tyvex suits, medical instruments, and even hospital beds.
As the regional leader in education services, CA BOCES offers state-of-the-art programs for learners of all ages and abilities as well as cost-effective shared services for 22 component school districts. CA BOCES empowers students to achieve their maximum potential by offering a wide variety of innovative programs and support that include special education, career and technical education, adult and continuing education, technology support, and instructional support services. To learn more, visit www.caboces.org.