But the letter to Trump says otherwise.
“Supply flow and access must be addressed immediately as our vendor orders are not being fulfilled, outdated supplies are being pulled from service and destroyed, and distribution protocols are placing first responders into lower priority tiers,” the groups wrote.
State governors also have decried a lack of masks and other medical equipment, saying they are being forced to compete with one another for that protective gear.
“This should have been a coordinated effort by the federal government. … It’s a Wild West out there. … Indeed, we’re overpaying for PPE because of that competition,” Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has called on the federal government to nationalize the purchases of PPEs and other medical supplies.
In New York City, which is the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States, more than 50 members of the city’s police department have tested positive for coronavirus, according to Police Commissioner Dermot Shea.
The White House had no immediate comment on the letter, which also asked Trump for a meeting to discuss “current obstacles and anticipated challenges” to the first responder community.
“Confronting this health crisis requires a whole government approach,” the letter says.
Signatories to the letter included the leaders of the United States Conference of Mayors, National League of Cities, National Association of Counties, Major Cities Chiefs Association, National Sheriffs’ Association, Major County Sheriffs of America, International Association of Fire Chiefs, Metropolitan Fire Chiefs and Association of State Criminal Investigative Agencies.
Article source: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/23/coronavirus-us-trump-asked-for-pandemic-equipment-by-first-responders.html