Volunteers at the University of Rhode Island (URI) are refurbishing CPAP machines, which will be used as supplemental respiratory equipment in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, according to local news reports.
URI has teamed up with VentilatorProject.org, led by Alex Hornstein in Providence, and the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation to collect unused or extra CPAP or BiPAP machines.
Hornstein said his organization is made up of 60 volunteers who are coordinating with doctors around the world to collect the masks and research ways that they can be used as supplementary equipment to treat COVID-19 patients in area hospitals.
“It’s amazing how friends, neighbors and talented strangers around the world have quickly come together to rise to this great challenge that faces us all,” Hornstein said. “Our tight-knit community in the nation’s smallest state has been a great asset, allowing us to quickly and effectively reach and work with key COVID-19 responders across our state.”
Hornstein is asking any Rhode Islander with an unused or extra CPAP or BiPAP machine to donate it. He estimates that 9,000 machines are available to be refurbished in Rhode Island.
