Northfield Fire Department Seeks Donated Masks, Gloves

NORTHFIELD, IL — Emergency personnel in Northfield are accepting donations of equipment to protect themselves from contracting the new coronavirus, village officials said. The Northfield Fire-Rescue Department is in "desperate need" of face masks and latex gloves, the Winnetka-Northfield Chamber of Commerce announced last week.

Village President Joan Frazier said first responders could run short on personal protective equipment, or PPE, if the number of COVID-19 infections spikes.

"Although we have sufficient supplies for the time being, that is likely to change very quickly if the number of cases increases locally," Frazier said, in a letter to residents Monday.

Frazier asked anyone who knows of resources for additional PPE to call village staff at 847-446-9200.

Anyone seeking to donate sealed boxes of gloves or masks may drop them off in the lobby of the police department at 350 Walnut St., according to the chamber.

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Northfield public works, fire-rescue and police emergency services remain fully operational, according to village officials. Administrative staff have been working remotely, and village hall has been closed to the public.

Village staff in Northfield, Winnetka and Glencoe have prepared lists of which local businesses remaining open with adjusted offerings, including delivery, curbside pickup and remote services.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the Cook County Department of Public Health reported there were six confirmed cases of COVID-19 among Northfield residents, 12 detected among residents of Glencoe and 40 cases in Winnetka.

More: Health Department Releases Map Of Suburban Coronavirus Cases

Despite an exponential increase in the number of coronavirus cases in Illinois in recent weeks, Frazier said there are indications social distancing is helping slow down the spread of the virus. The village president emphasized the critical importance of limiting social interactions to stop the transmission of the highly infectious virus.

"We all owe an endless debt to the health professionals and first responders who are dealing with this illness at their own peril," Frazier said. "Let's not make it any worse by needlessly increasing the number of infected patients."