The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Public Health team and Emergency Management arrived early at 6 a.m., June 12, to unload a large Conex storage box full of large pallets of expired PPE (personal protective equipment) that will be donated for training and exercises.

“After the COVID-19 pandemic, we retained PPE cache for the Community, so we’re never caught off guard with logistical supply chain issues again,” said Emergency Management Coordinator Kirsten VanDeventer MPA, CEM. “At this point, we have several items that are expired that we cannot push out to the Community from the tribal government, but we can share those goods with agencies and universities that are willing to do training to educate the next generation [of first responders].”

The Public Health & Emergency Management team donated a few pallets, which included hazmat suits, goggles and face masks, to Arizona State University for training and exercises supplies. The teams are currently looking to distribute an additional five pallets of material.

“We hope to continue to building relationships with our local universities,” said VanDeventer.

“It’s mutually beneficial because they bring their training programs here to Salt River.”

The most recent program offered to the Community was on biological hazard response.