When First Responders on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska found themselves with a shared need, Marathon Petroleum was there to help.
 
As MPC’s Kenai refinery fire chief, Mike Van De Grift works closely with the area’s First Responder groups who directly support our operations and community. Across these public safety partners, he began to hear a common thread: COVID-19 had put a strain on their supplies and budgets.
 
Through further dialogue, Chief Van De Grift discovered that frontline personnel were going through non-reusable N95 masks at an alarming rate, as they took the necessary precautions to do their job helping others.
 
Recognizing an opportunity to make a significant, sustainable impact, MPC’s local giving committee in Kenai allocated the community investment funds needed to outfit the Nikiski Fire Department, Kenai Fire Department, and Central Emergency Services with a reusable form of protection. The solution integrates with the departments’ Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) Facemasks, providing full face and lung protection.
 
In total, MPC provided $15,000 to upfit the mask of every person in each department with an adapter and filter, along with a backup. This allows for one mask to be decontaminated while another stays in service.