GORDON – As part of the province’s efforts to ensure all Ontario police services are provided with the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep officers and members of the public safe from COVID-19, the OPP PC-12 aircraft made a trip to the Gore Bay-Manitoulin Airport recently to deliver PPE to representatives of two First Nation police services on the Island.
Faron Whiteye, chief of police and Brad Mack, staff sergeant and operations manager for the UCCM Anishnaabe Police Service were at the airport recently to pick up PPE supplies that had been delivered that day. Police Chief Whiteye noted this shipment of PPE “has been delivered for distribution to the UCCM Anishnaabe Police Service and Wikwemikong Tribal Police Service, from the province.”
The large load of personal protective equipment included such items as masks, gloves and hand sanitizer.
The OPP plane left Orillia that morning, and after a stop in Sault Ste. Marie it travelled to the Gore Bay airport to deliver the PPE.
“The fact that they used the airport at a time of need like this is important,” said Robby Colwell, manager of the airport. “It just demonstrates that if the swing bridge is closed at any time, these types of important items can still be delivered on the Island using the airport.”
