(PRESS RELEASE) GREEN BAY WI — Pet food manufacturer, Carnivore Meat Company has announced the donation of its UV sterilization equipment to two local health care systems: HSHS hospitals in Eastern Wisconsin (St. Vincent Hospital and St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center in Green Bay; St. Clare Memorial Hospital in Oconto Falls; and St. Nicholas Hospital in Sheboygan) and Prevea Health.
Amid shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) that surged in March of this year, Carnivore Meat Company responded by donating the use of its UV equipment to sterilize masks and other PPE for local first responders and health care professionals. “We were inspired to move quickly and help ensure our community health care providers could access safe, clean masks as needed and at a time when PPE was scarce across the nation,” commented Lanny Viegut, Carnivore Meat Company CEO and Owner. “President Trump’s March 21 call to action for America to help our front-line workers sparked the idea of using our UV equipment for mask and PPE sterilization, and we were able to act quickly.” Within a single week, the concept became a reality.
Working with local health professionals, Viegut organized the relocation of the equipment to a clean room facility on March 29, which became the first known fully operational, continuous in-line UV PPE sterilization facility in the United States.
Since that time, the facility has processed thousands of masks for health care facilities, police and fire departments, dental offices and local businesses throughout Northeastern Wisconsin, allowing them to safely and confidently serve their communities. Nearly 70 organizations have benefited from services provided by the UV sterilization facility, despite the ongoing shortages of N95 masks nationwide. Earlier this year, the Wisconsin State Hygiene Lab had considered replicating the facility to aid other communities in other parts of the state.
“It is our sincere hope the HSHS Eastern Wisconsin hospitals and Prevea Health will be able to assist even more health care workers and first responders in addition to businesses, locally or regionally, should they find themselves in need,” Viegut said. “We’re blessed to be in a position to help and play a proactive role in overcoming COVID-19 related difficulties.”