Oklahoma Forestry Services lending a hand to state Health Department amid virus outbreak

OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH)--Oklahoma Forestry Services is delivering personal protective equipment (PPE), medical supplies and coronavirus testing kits to nursing homes, hospitals and first-responders across the state.

This is the Oklahoma Forestry Services way of supporting the Oklahoma Department of Health's response to the novel coronavirus.

Forestry Services began operations on March 24 at the Health Department's Oklahoma City warehouse, where medical supplies and equipment are stored.

Since that time, Forestry Services personnel have been on-duty seven days a week and have made more than 1,000 deliveries.

In addition to their deliveries, they have also picked up donated and purchased PPE from across the state and brought it back to the warehouse to be distributed.

“We are honored to support patients, the medical community and first responders by delivering the lifesaving supplies they need,” said Oklahoma Forestry Services Director Mark Goeller. “Most people associate us with wildfires, but our role in emergency response goes beyond fire. Reduced wildfire activity this spring has resulted in our personnel being available to assist with this unprecedented event.”

Oklahoma Forestry Services will continue to help the Oklahoma Department of Health for as long as needed.