Southeast Tech Assists in PPE Clip Production

from Dakota News Now:

Earlier this week on Dakota News Now we told you how one man was helping health care workers alleviate ear pain from masks.

Since then, this unique tool has exploded in popularity across the country.

Last week, Mitchell Olson started out by just making 5 mask clips for a neighbor who works in health care.

After offering to make more for others who may need it, that 5 quickly turned into a request for 10,000 more.

Using his own 3D printer, Mitchell’s Facebook post, offering to make straps for anyone who needs one, it quickly turned into a popular demand.

From nursing homes, to nurses and at risk individuals across the country, Olson said, “I didn’t realize full teams of medical professionals would be contacting me for their entire department, or even hospitals in small towns across South Dakota are reaching out for their entire staff. I’ve also heard from the firefighters in town who want these for their entire team, as well as Lifescape is looking for 1,000 of them.”

He was ready for the task.

But, the issue was producing thousands of clips with only one 3D printer, which is only capable of printing 5 clips every two hours.

So, Mitchell called his friend Johnnie Schroeder, a Mechanical engineering instructor at Southeast Tech.

“And he said can you help me with this project, with the mask straps? And I go yeah I can and he goes well how many printers do you have? And I go well, we have 11 that we can put into production. Right now we’re producing about 100 every two hours," said Schroeder

People even offering to pay for these clips, which Mitchell wouldn’t accept.

But then, POET’s Seeds of Change charity decided to help out with the cost

“POET provides a certain amount of funding every year to help facilitate the mission trip. And Seeds of Change has been able to reallocate those funds and help out with this initiative that will benefit our front line workers," said Alicia ElMamouni, Director of Operations for Seeds of Change.

They said, as long as people still need the clips, they'll keep making them.