Ashley High uses 3D printers to create shields for first responders

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Even in a pandemic, Ashley High School has still been hard at work. Students and staff have been helping first responders by making masks using 3D technology.

The 3D machines make about 40 masks a day for the emergency operations center to distribute to other agencies.

What makes them so different from the regular ones used, is that they have an extra layer of protection.

“It gives you just a bit more insulation between you and the virus itself. It gives you one more layer,” Island Cardiology Director Damian Brezenski said. “You want as many layers as practically possible.”

Brezenski has been working with the Career and Technical Education department and other first responders to make reusable shields.

He said the idea came to his son who is a student at the Ashley High just five days ago.

Since then, they have been collaborating on the best ways to make durable, emergency response shields.

“Whether you’re putting a breathing tube into somebody, or you’re doing a surgery, and there’s a spray of fluid or blood, or air, or whatever that might be infective, the blast shield will stop that.” Brezenski said.

The machines have not stopped lately. On average, CTE Teacher Daniel Glauber said it takes anywhere from 7-18 hours to make the quantity. Glauber said the need for shields has increased.

“They’re actually all out of face shields, so they need them as soon as possible,” Glauber said.

They are made out of elastic bands and transparent sheets already on hand at the school, which that is a win-win for everyone.

“It probably comes out to $4 dollars because the plastic is very cheap as well, which is great because they were telling us that they were talking to a company that was charging around $25,” Glauber said.

The school is also in the process of figuring out how they can also make the N95 respirator masks.

They will be testing them to see what the best options are before making hundreds. Glauber said the goal is to also make 500 emergency response shields.