www.ca-nv-awwa.org 17
Mutual
By Lynn Lipinski
AID Volunteers from
Water Systems
Organize Massive
Face Mask Giveaway
During Pandemic
AS WATER AND WASTEWATER AGENCIES
gear up for the gradual reopening of
offices and facilities, the California and
Nevada Water and Wastewater Agency Response
Networks (CalWARN and NvWARN) helped by
distributing 230,000 free, reusable cloth face masks
throughout their respective states. The masks are
worn to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The mask giveaway was part of a joint effort between
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, United States
Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the National Water
and Wastewater Agency Response Network and the American
Water Works Association. The Section helped with communications
about the programs to its members in both states.
It was the first time that state WARNs have mobilized such
a large product distribution and the first time that CalWARN
implemented a program statewide. Though CalWARN’s previous
efforts helping agencies affected by wildfires were very effective,
this was the first time that the network had to respond to an
incident that affected everyone in the state.
By all accounts, the CalWARN effort was a success. Because
California received its masks more than a week before Nevada,
its effort served as a model for NvWARN as it rolled out its own
successful mask giveaway.
“To conduct a distribution on this scale and have it perform
as well as it did shows how well it can work,” said Bruce Macler,
USEPA Region 9 Water Division toxicologist and liaison between
the western states and the USEPA’s Washington, D.C. office during
the mask distribution. The smooth operation of this effort gives
Macler and many others confidence that the network will perform
well should a massive earthquake or wildfire occur.
Not Much Time to Prepare
Jim Wollbrinck, director of emergency management and
business resiliency at San Jose Water Company, newly elected
CalWARN state president and outgoing CalWARN Region 2 chair,
recalls receiving the first notification on April 17 that the network
would be tapped to distribute masks. The first delivery of masks
would take place on May 1.
With less than two weeks to create a distribution system, the
volunteer leadership of CalWARN leapt into action. A component
of the software platform developed by the Alliance for Community
Solutions (the software behind the CalWARN website) was
deployed at calwarn.org to help share information, track
registrations and schedule mask pick-ups. Locations were found
for mask storage and pick-up; more volunteers were recruited to
handle logistics. Organizations like the CA-NV Section, the State
Water Resources Control Board Division of Drinking Water (DDW),
Conrad
Tona of
the City of
Redding
tries a
mask on for
size. Photo
courtesy
of City of
Redding.