Advance Air & Heat Company pitches in the retooling of two former New Bedford nursing homes to serve coronavirus patients. / Photo courtesy of Advance Air & Heat
New Bedford, MA – Advance Air & Heat Company, Inc. of East Freetown donated service technician time and expertise to prepare two abandoned nursing facilities for COVID-19 patients in New Bedford.
These facilities, which closed down about a year ago, are being prepped for occupancy through the coordinated efforts of city officials and local businesses. This move could mean the difference in care for a large number of at-risk local residents.
Advance Air’s role was to ensure the proper operation of all of the heating and ventilation systems for life safety and to provide fresh air and proper ventilation to the entire building.
Two teams of technicians worked through a two-week period to troubleshoot and repair several systems including an oil-fired boiler, make-up air units, air handling units and ductless split systems. All were up and running before deadline so they will be ready to go if and when the building is needed for patient care.
Karen Lamy DeSousa, Advance Air & Heat Company’s owner and president, says it has had a long-standing relationship with the city of New Bedford and wanted to do its part to help out the city in this precarious time of need.
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DeSousa commented, “Responding to emergency repair calls is part of our everyday business, but it is not every day we get to be part of something that could save lives on this large a scale. We are proud as an organization to play a role in this effort.”
With a push to help out those impacted by the pandemic, some are helping local restaurants by ordering take out, others are making homemade PPE for hospitals and most are doing the right thing by staying home and social distancing. Individual Americans and local businesses are looking for ways to help.
