LITTLE VALLEY — Cattaraugus County Jail inmates are pitching in to help produce face masks for corrections officers, deputies and first responders.
The personal protection equipment is often in short supply in these days of the novel coronavirus pandemic. A team at the county’s Emergency Operations Center works full-time to obtain and distribute PPE.
“Some of the inmates are sewing face masks,” Sheriff Timothy Whitcomb said Thursday. “The population in the jail is down and we have refused to take any more federal inmates due to COVID-19.”
Programming like the BOCES General Equivalency Diploma (GED) program has been suspended during the coronavirus pandemic. There is no visitation.
Rather than furlough corrections officers, Whitcomb was looking for something to keep them busy. That meant creating a program that was meaningful for inmates.
The sheriff saw an email from the New York State Sheriff’s Association polling sheriffs on what they were doing to be creative during the pandemic. He sent it to the jail captain and lieutenant who took it to the Emergency Operations Center.
It turns out, Whitcmb said, that some Probation Department staff in the EOC were already working on face masks, sewing them in their “down” time. They were using some used sewing machines purchased locally by the Department of Aging. They had patterns and material as well.
Whitcomb thanked Cathy Mackay, director of the Department of Aging, and her staff for coming up with the initial idea to sew face masks in the EOC.
“It was perfect,” said Whitcomb, who asked if the sewing machines could be used by inmates in the jail.
Corrections officials asked if any inmates were interested in sewing face masks. With five volunteers, the Probation staffers who had been sewing masks at the EOC went to the jail on Wednesday to train them.
“By the end of the day (Wednesday), we had 90 masks. I’m sure production will increase from there,” Whitcomb said.
“There’s nothing in it for the inmates who volunteered,” the sheriff said. “If they want to sew, they have machines and material.
“We’re pretty excited about it,” the sheriff continued. “I’m proud they chose to do it. They are doing something great for society.”
The masks will supplement supplies for the Sheriff’s Office from corrections officers, patrol and communications, Whitcomb said. “This will make sure the Sheriff’s Office has enough.”
There will continue to be sufficient face masks for Emergency Operations Center personnel and staff.
“We’ll have to sit down and talk about what to do when we have a surplus of masks,” Whitcomb said.
Additional material is being purchased “from the local Amish community where we can get a great price,” the sheriff said.
Any costs for material will be submitted for federal reimbursement,” Whitcomb said. “There’s no cost on labor.”
(Contact reporter Rick Miller at rmiller@oleantimesherald.com. Follow him on Twitter, @RMillerOTH)