A recent donation from Honda is helping to power COVID-19 vaccination clinics in seven states around the country, including at local clinics for area residents conducted by the Logan County Health District.
The Logan County agency was the recipient of three Honda EG2800i portable electrical generators, offering reliable power for lighting, heat and computer usage at vaccination clinics, along with the capability to power refrigerators or freezers for maintaining the vaccines within manufacturer recommended temperature ranges.
Bailey Elkins, LCHD emergency preparedness coordinator and public information officer, said the agency received the generators several weeks ago, in time for the March 9 drive-thru COVID-19 clinic hosted by the agency with the help of community partners and volunteers at the Logan County Fairgrounds.
“We’re very grateful to Honda for providing the generators to us. It was amazing gift and was a huge help at the clinic. The generators will be used at upcoming off-site clinics as well,” she said, noting that another clinic for more than 600 individuals will take place in early April at the fairgrounds for those with pre-scheduled appointments.
“The generators are smaller in size and therefore, not as heavy and easy for us to move and transport. They also run very quietly.”
Honda reports the EG2800i weighs in at an industry-best dry weight of less than 67 pounds and provides sufficient power (up to 2,800 watts) to run multiple devices at once, including a refrigerator, freezer, furnace blower motor, several lights, microwaves and TVs.
Earlier this month at the clinic, Elkins said the donated generators were utilized at the registration area to power laptop computers. The health district also planned to use the generators to power heaters, but that day’s temperatures and sunshine brought unexpected warmth for early March, so the heaters weren’t needed.
The emergency preparedness coordinator/public information officer related that the generators will be useful for transportation units storing the vaccines while in transit.
Honda officials report the portable electrical generators were donated to state and county health departments to assist with the vaccination clinics in Alabama, California, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, North Carolina, and South Carolina, in areas where the company has major operations.
Ten of the Honda EG2800i portable generators were allocated to each state based on vaccination distribution plan.
“Honda is committed to supporting our communities in defeating COVID-19 by assisting the important efforts to vaccinate local residents in clinics close to home,” Rick Schostek, American Honda Motor Co. Inc. executive vice president, said in a release.
“We’re all in this together and Honda associates across America are proud to support front-line workers who are working to protect our communities.”
The Honda EG2800i is known for its quiet operation, high-quality power (safe for electronics), fuel efficiency, and long run times in a lightweight package, the company said. Like Elkins, Union County Emergency Management Director Brad Gilbert denoted the helpful qualities of the recently donated devices.
“While we have access to a couple of larger generators, they are big, heavy and loud,” he said in a release. “These Honda generators are perfect, because they are easy to move, load and use, which is very important when we have to use and move them multiple times.
“We are also adding these to our plans for use in the event that we have to relocate or open additional clinics in large parking areas that have no access to power.”
In Alabama, the generators have allowed public health officials to expand the clinics to underserved and rural communities as well.
“We greatly appreciate Honda’s generous donation of portable generators that will be used in public health response efforts throughout the state,” said Andy Mullins, director of the Alabama Department of Public Health Center for Emergency Preparedness.
“In addition to supporting needs such as powering refrigerators and freezers that hold COVID-19 vaccine during power outages, these new units will allow more vaccination clinics to be held in non-traditional settings. For example, the generators may be used for clinics held outdoors in rural and underserved areas to provide broader vaccine coverage for people at high risk.”
The donation of generators to vaccination sites is part of Honda’s ongoing efforts to support communities during the COVID-19 pandemic during the past year.
Other projects have included a $1 million donation and an associate matching gift program to address food insecurity in communities across North America, the donation of face shields to healthcare workers at medical facilities in 45 states, the modification of 10 Honda Odyssey minivans for use by the City of Detroit to transport healthcare workers and people potentially infected with COVID-19, and the production and donation of diaphragm compressors, a key component of portable ventilators used in hospitals and by first responders to help those stricken with the virus.