A Tayside man has joined a nationwide campaign to make 3D face shields for key workers battling the coronavirus.
Since volunteering for the #printforvictory scheme, Fraser Smith, 69, from Tealing, has created protective equipment for nurses and support workers across Tayside.
He joined the fight after reading about the volunteer drive to distribute face protectors into the community.
The campaign has been growing across Scotland in the last month, with five registered printers in Tayside and Fife.
Frontline workers can use the site to ask for equipment, before they are paired with a nearby volunteer.
Mr Smith had access to his own 3D printer as he is a member of the model electronic railway group, and has called for more people to help tackle coronavirus.
He said: “A little while after I joined I got a call saying there was a care home worker in Arbroath who was desperately looking for face shields.
“I was put in touch with her and I printed 10 of them. The problem is that you can’t get acetate sheets anywhere at the moment – which are ideal – but laminator pouches seem to do a pretty good job and certainly better than having nothing at all.
“So I bought myself a laminator and pouches and have been making them up as I go and then she came and picked up the shields on Saturday.
“She was off to do nightshifts over the weekend so she was really quite grateful for that.”
Mr Smith continued to make the face protectors for more frontline workers and since then, has been inundated with requests from nurses and care workers.
He added: “I have a 3D printer and it was just sitting doing nothing at the moment and I saw all of these things about face shields being in short supply so I thought I should do something.
“I’m happy to volunteer to make these if it means people will survive.
“I also just want to raise awareness that these shields are available and I hope it will work and more people can help make them.
“They’re not sterile but it’s better to have these than no protection at all, especially in the care homes. It’s a real shocking state we’re in as it appears they’re not able to get face masks at all.”
To volunteer or ask for support contact #printforvictory at
https://printforvictory.org/
.
