April 6, 2020
Gatlinburg-based moonshine and whiskey producer Sugarlands Distilling Company donated 10 gallons of hand sanitizer to ambulance crews with Priority Ambulance this week.
The hand sanitizer will be used by Priority Ambulance’s more than 500 EMTs and paramedics in Tennessee to sterilize their hands when antibacterial soap and water is unavailable in the field. This is especially important to protect EMTs and paramedics when doffing personal protective equipment after transport and when completing ambulance decontamination procedures.
“As our response to this outbreak continues, we are grateful to local businesses like Sugarlands Distilling Co. that help us continue to arm our EMTs and paramedics on the front lines to safely meet the challenge,” said Rob Webb, vice president of East Tennessee operations for Priority Ambulance.
“The hand sanitizer that Sugarlands donated to us will be used in our ambulances and will supply our EMTs and paramedics in East Tennessee for the next few weeks. We are proud to be a part of a local business community that supports their local health care workers.”
As businesses across the country are adjusting their production lines to accommodate the needs of health care workers, Sugarlands Distilling Company began donating hand sanitizer to local fire departments, police departments and ambulance crews.
The hand sanitizer donated by Sugarlands is made to the standards approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The CDC and the WHO recommend a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol to combat COVID-19. The FDA requires an even higher alcohol content.
“We are happy to donate hand sanitizer to Priority Ambulance and a few other first responder organizations within the East Tennessee community,” said Greg Eidam, Sugarlands’ Head Distiller. “Using our time to make something that helps our first responders when we would otherwise be sitting on the sidelines is the least we can do in this time of need.”
Sugarlands Distilling Co. is currently anticipating an additional shipment of alcohol to continue making hand sanitizer with the hopes of donating it to organizations in East Tenn. with immediate need.