Raj Chhadua, a managing partner at the pharmacy’s parent company ReNue Apothercary GP, said the production of hand sanitizer is “very labor intensive,” but the business felt the donation would benefit the community.
“The difference between pharmacies making it versus your mom-and-pop [stores] or these distilleries that are making it [is] pharmacists are required to comply by FDA rules on compounding procedures,” Chhadua said. “There's a process of sterility. You’ve got to make sure it's in a clean room. You’ve got to make sure that you're using appropriate chemicals and the chemicals actually are dissolved together appropriately that it won't cause harm to humans.”
Plano Fire-Rescue Deputy Chief Matt Higginbotham said the 20 one-gallon bottles donated to the department will be separated into smaller bottles and distributed to the city’s fire stations. He also explained that liquid hand sanitizer has some benefits over gel versions.
“It allows us to spray the liquid on our gloves,” Higginbotham said. “It’s an easier way to apply and decontaminate ourselves and our equipment, basically.”
Battalion Chief Jake Leeper, from the Frisco Fire Department, said ReNue’s donation will “definitely” prove useful to the city’s firefighters.
“I think anything that helps you maintain cleanliness within your facilities and [for] your personnel—all those types of items are important,” Leeper said. “Whether that be hand sanitizer for people to use on their person or Lysol disinfectant-type spray to clean hard surfaces and stuff like that, it’s all vital to maintaining a sanitary workplace.”
Representatives from both fire departments said they have received several donations over the past two weeks. Plano Fire Capt. Peggy Harrell said area groups, businesses and citizens have donated items ranging from frozen meat to medical supplies.
Leeper said Frisco Fire has received donations of surgical masks and gloves, N95 respiration masks and more.
“We understand that the public and charitable organizations and such are wanting to help and looking for ways to help,” Leeper said. “When it comes to PPE—personal protective equipment—we'll certainly take the donations when we can get them. Like a lot of other people, we don't know when we'll be able to accept another shipment.”
