Courtney Statement on Gilman Brothers Co. Effort to Provide FEMA with Critically Needed Medical Supplies Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

NORWICH, CT – Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) released the following statement today after the Gilman Brothers Company announced that they would be moving forward with a massive effort to produce medical supplies for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement comes following correspondence between Rep. Courtney's office and FEMA, which took place throughout the course of yesterday and overnight, in which Courtney's team

Gilman Brothers Company, located in Bozrah, CT, is a premier manufacturer of widely applicable foamboard material. In the past, Gilman Brothers has volunteered to transform their workforce to help America's frontline servicemembers through times of national emergencies, including during World War II, when they produced comforters for GIs heading to battle, and insulation for soldiers' housing at the War's end. Today, Gilman Brothers are working to supply frontline health care workers and hospitals with much-needed hospital beds and partitions to aid in the fight against COVID-19.

"The Gilman Brothers have a long history of stepping up to the plate to help America through times of emergency," said Congressman Courtney. "Their amazing agility has once again risen to the occasion with these ingenious medical devices to address a critical shortage of hospital beds in health institutions. Gilman Brothers have rapidly transformed their workforce to produce these beds and partitions, which are in short supply nationwide. Their product satisfies public health rules of safety and quality, and their efforts can be sized up at the speed this outbreak requires. My office has already connected with FEMA, which is the clearing house for the national stockpile. We will continue to support Gilman's work, which holds great potential to meet the needs this public health crisis has presented us with."

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