A local sail maker has forsaken the high seas (temporarily) for his workshop where he has adapted his usual production to better suit pandemic needs.
Ken Forsyth, owner of Collingwood-based K-Force, is sewing masks and building face shields for local health care facilities.
Though the masks are not intended for health care workers, Forsyth is hoping they’ll help those who have nothing else. Perhaps nursing home patients.
With industrial sewing machines and a stockpile of material at his fingertips - a trade perk - Forsyth has created a mask out of polypropylene fabric. The mask is reu-sable and can be sterilized between uses. In fact, the masks can be machine washed and dried.
He has created four sizes of masks to fit different-sized faces. He’s sent some to medical staff in New York and the GTA and said he’s on stand-by for Collingwood General and Marine Hospital should they let him know they need some of his masks. He’s also been working with local nursing homes to find out what they need most.
It’s through this work he came up with a design for a re-usable face shield that can also be sanitized.
He’s using a clear poly-carbonate (used in wind surfing sails) to create the shield, and he’s made a headband with foam and velcro to keep the shield off the face.
He’s sent a few to Bay Haven Care Community already, and said he’s received a call from the Owen Sound hospital looking for some face shields.
“I always try to be helpful,” said Forsyth. “So that’s what I’ve been doing.”
He compared the current COVID-19 pandemic to war times. There is now a nation-wide shortage of personal protective equipment, and health officials are urging people not to use medical-grade masks because hospitals and other health care facilities need them for staff and patients. However, some health officials (including Canada’s chief medical officer of health and the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit officer of health) have stated wearing a homemade fabric mask can help prevent you from spreading the virus to other people when you might not know you have it.
“When my dad turned 18, he couldn’t wait to sign up for the Second World War,” said Forsyth. “This is like a war … I’m trying to help out a little bit.”
Forsyth said he is at high-risk of severe complications should he contract COVID-19, so he’s been self-isolating.
Currently, Forsyth can’t accommodate orders for masks or shields beyond what he’s already working on, so he’s not taking orders from the general public.
“I make about three or four masks per hour,” he said. He works alone in his workshop and hand makes each product.
He said he hopes others are also inspired to do what they can to help, even if that’s something as simple as staying home.
