- UPDATED - N95 Mask Availability Statement
At this time there are no N-95 masks available for distribution through ILEAS.
Many agencies have reached out to ILEAS inquiring about N95 masks. ILEAS does have a stockpile of N95 masks. ILEAS has had a stockpile of masks for many years that were dedicated to two purposes:
- Use by special teams officers who may be assigned to provide ongoing security at local distribution sites for the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS - https://www.phe.gov/about/sns/Pages/default.aspx).
- To be used by law enforcement and other first responders as a “firewall” at local or regional outbreaks of infectious diseases until larger resources (like the SNS) can be brought to bear.
Our original batch of 3M N95 masks expired and were disposed of some time ago. We now have a supply of Tronex N95 masks that were acquired in 2015 as surplus after the Ebola scare. ILEAS is retaining control of those masks for the same objectives as described above. ILEAS works closely with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and the Illinois Department of Public Health on disaster response and recovery. We are obligated to take our lead from State officials with regard to strategic stockpiles of equipment and resources.
ILEAS would love to be able to ship out a case of masks to every officer and deputy in Illinois in anticipation of the potential COVID-19 virus situation. However, that would be about 300,000 masks which is considerably more than we have on hand. ILEAS staff will be working with State officials to potentially develop a source for masks for local agencies, but at this time, worldwide supplies are very tight and the price has risen. Rest assured that ILEAS will be monitoring the situation, and working with the State and our Governing Board on mask distribution priorities as the situation develops.
February 27, 2020
AVON RESPIRATORS
Upon its creation, one of ILEAS's first missions was to participate with the Illinois Terrorism Task Force in the distribution of PPE to every law enforcement officer in Illinois. Since 2003, ILEAS has distributed over 25,000 AVON masks, canisters, and carriers to nearly 1,000 agencies. In addition, ILEAS has stockpiled spare canisters in caches around the State - available to any department that needs them during emergencies. ILEAS originally started this program with these goals:
- Provide a mask to every sworn police officer in the State of Illinois as a protective escape device.
- Provide for standardization of equipment, training, and policies with regard to respirator use so resources could be shared across the State with minimal effort.
- Provide for free respirator "Train-the-Trainer" sessions for all police departments in the State.
ILEAS essentially met those goals, originally issuing AVON FM-12 masks. This was supplemented by the issuance of AVON C-50 masks from 2009 to present, as grant monies have allowed. The C-50 is NIOSH CBRN compliant. In 2013, ILEAS acquired another limited supply (several hundred, not thousands as in past times) for local agencies who needed replacements. ILEAS solicited orders in the latter half of the year, filling them for ALL who had applied.
ILEAS is currently OUT of respirators and not taking requests for more masks or related equipment at this time.
ILEAS will announce to member agencies if at any point we procure more masks. Agency representatives who have questions regarding AVON contact information or its Illinois vendor can contact Inventory Manager Kent Jepsen at the ILEAS Administrative Office.
Please see our other respirator-related web pages for information about labor regulations, medical screening, and vision correction.
Respirator Disposition
If any agency that received respirators from ILEAS decides now, based on review of the regulations, that it no longer wants the masks, it should follow its own surplus/disposition of property procedures. ILEAS requests that if you do dispose or transfer them, that you please click this link and send an email to Kent Jepsen, so that we can keep the records accurate. ILEAS does not want the masks returned to us. If you have masks that are in their original sealed shipping boxes, please notify Kent prior to disposal.
| Avon C50 Power Point pt. 1 | Avon C50 Power Point pt. 2 | Avon C50 Power Point pt. 3 | Avon C50 Power Point pt. 4 | Avon C50 Power Point pt. 5 |
| AVON C50 Manual | FM12 PowerPoint | FM12 Manual |