HomeLocal NewsDepartment of Corrections recognized for creating PPE, sanitizerDepartment of Corrections recognized for creating PPE, sanitizerWed, August 25, 2021 by wcednewsSHARE NOW Inmates are pictured inside SCI Somerset during a media tour, where staff and inmates discussed life in a congregate setting during the pandemic, how the DOC responded to COVID-19, and next steps for the department as restrictions loosen and in-person visitation is safely re-introduced throughout the state prison system, on Wednesday, June 2, 2021.Harrisburg, PA – The Wolf Administration recognized the staff of PA Correctional Industries (PCI), along with a dedicated group of incarcerated workers, for creating and distributing masks, gowns, hand sanitizer, and other items throughout the pandemic; particularly during the spring of 2020 when demand for these crucial supplies was at its highest.Since March 25, 2020, PA Correctional Industries created the following items for commonwealth and local government entities:More than 1,655,800 bars of antibacterial hand soap, from the plant at SCI HuntingdonMore than 6,844 gallons of hard surface sanitizerMore than 51,480 packs of disinfectant concentrate, which can produce over 257,400 gallons of finished productNearly 21,000 gowns for the PA Department of Health and PA Department of CorrectionsMore than 750,000 masks“The entire PCI team, including the incarcerated workforce, stepped up during the early days of the pandemic to create life-saving supplies at a time when those items were hard to come by on the open market,” said PA Department of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel. “They completely reimagined their workflow, processes, and procedures to operate in a way that followed CDC guidelines and kept each other safe, and their contributions are still being used within the Department of Corrections and elsewhere to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”PCI Manager Craig Northrup recently sat down to talk about PCI’s pandemic response.PCI is a self-supporting program within the Department of Corrections. It creates a variety of products – from apparel to furniture – for commonwealth agencies, municipal and county government organizations and non-profit entities. In addition to providing training and skills to the incarcerated population, jobs with PCI provide wages that contribute to legal financial obligations, victim restitution, family support and their own finances. To learn more about PCI, visit cor.pa.gov.
