As the coronavirus began to spread across the U.S., Trident Refit Facility, Kings Bay (TRF-KB) redirected some available resources to produce personal protective equipment (PPE) to help protect its employees, and for the safety of local medical personnel treating COVID-19 patients.

After seeing media reports about New York City healthcare providers using plastic trash bags due to shortages of protective medical aprons, Capt. Paul Dinius, the TRF-KB commanding officer at the time, contacted Cmdr. Adrian Gaskins, the officer-in-charge at the Kings Bay Naval Branch Health Clinic, and offered the services of TRF-KB to manufacture needed PPE items.

“It was initially thought we could make aprons from vinyl or Herculite ™ material in preparation for an expected onslaught of COVID patients,” said Cmdr. Joseph Meier, the TRF-KB Repair Officer.

Through Gaskins, TRF-KB also received requests from the Jacksonville Naval Hospital for support and production of other types of PPE.

Once medical needs were identified, the TRF-KB Team used on-hand resources to create solutions for PPE deficiencies at the clinic and hospital.

TRF-KB craftsmen designed and created face shields with head gear, “Easy Ear” extenders to supplement the rubber band ear pieces attached to some medical face masks and cloth face coverings, additional pleated/washable cloth face coverings, and prototype intubation chambers.

The Sail Loft (Shop 74A) produced the cloth face coverings while the Shipfitters (Shop 11A) designed and manufactured face shields and intubation boxes. Other TRF-KB shops constructed new, ready-made face shields…more than what was originally requested by the hospital.

“The Rubber and Plastics Shop (Code 700) supported the task with preliminary designs of the face shields and prototypes,” Meier said.

The Computer Numerical Control (Shop 31A) produced the “Easy Ear” extenders by using additive manufacturing technology such as 3D printers, along with producing the preliminary face shield headgear designs.

Fulfilling this need provided TRF-KB an opportunity to leverage its innovative capabilities. The 3D printer technology enabled TRF-KB to rapidly create prototypes and to produce much of the needed PPE.

Meier explained, despite the virus, TRF-KB remains mission-focused and committed to supporting the community.

“All of this, along with our own internal efforts to combat the effects of COVID-19 within our own workforce demonstrates that we have the ability to overcome the challenges the pandemic presents, and also continue with our primary mission,” Meier said. “We’ve stayed solid, didn’t have to shut down, and are able to support the medical efforts, too.”

Dinius, who now serves as the Chief of Staff for Submarine Group Ten, believes the TRF-KB fight against the coronavirus has been a winning effort.

“Every small amount helps…the TRF-KB team is winning the COVID-19 mitigation fight, but they are also winning the ‘whole of government effort’ to supply our medical heroes with the tools they need on the front lines,” he said.

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