Ford to build respirators instead of Mustangs

[Twin Turbo]

Whilst I'm sure many of us want the guys n gals to be building Mustangs again as soon as possible........in the meantime, the wonderful workforce at Flat Rock will be building respirators instead! During this awful time, it's great to see Ford and its great workers helping to fight Covid-19!

https://eu.freep.com/story/money/ca...uaw-mustang-respirators-flat-rock/5100587002/



"UAW workers who have been building the Ford Mustang and Lincoln Continental at the Flat Rock Assembly Plant learned late Tuesday that the plant is setting up to build respirators and workers are needed.

A Facebook page hosted by UAW Local 6000 said, "FRAP has been chosen to be a site that will be building respirators to help with the Covid-19 pandemic. FRAP members will be receiving a robo call around 5pm this evening asking for volunteers to work while the plant is down and have 24 hrs to respond. This will be a 3-crew operation..."

Kelli Felker, Ford spokeswoman for manufacturing, said in a prepared statement, "Ford is humbled to work with 3M, GE Healthcare and the UAW to manufacture medical equipment to help those on the front lines fighting COVID-19. We’ll have more to share about this in the future."

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[Vlad Soare]

Wasn't the plant supposed to be closed in order to keep its workforce safe? If the plant can be opened, i.e. people are allowed to come to work and it's safe for them to be there, then what's the point in keeping the plant closed any longer? Why not start building cars again? It's not safe to build cars, but it's safe to build someting else? How come?

 

[Vlad Soare]

Fighting this virus has been compared to fighting in the World Wars. The people at home had to make sacrifices, and industry stepped up to make the materials needed for the war effort. This is a move in the right direction for America, in spite of all the misinformation and misdirection.

Well, yeah, OK, but I didn't get that message from them. I mean, if Ford had said "because it's a war-like situation, and we want to help as best we can, we're going to shut down the production of cars and to start building respirators", it would have made sense.
But they did not. They said "we're closing down the factories because we want to keep our workers safe". In that case, how are they safer building respirators than they would be building cars?

 

[Twin Turbo]

Actually........I need to update the title of the thread as, if you click the link there was an update that stated:

"Work will be performed at the Roush Building (off Vreeland Road) and those volunteering will be able to rank their choice of shifts," the memo said. "Shifts will be assigned by seniority choice, so you will be able to rank 3 choices by email response."

So, some FRAP workers will be performing this offsite at the Roush facility.

 

[Vlad Soare]

I see. It makes more sense now.

 

[lacanteen]

Are these ventilators manual or automatic?

 

[Cobra Jet]

So here’s a question about any such ventilator...

Once it’s used on a COVID19 patient for a week or longer, does that now render the ventilator “contaminated”? Or are certain parts of these units discarded before moving it onto another patient?

 

[Qcman17]

I hope the gaps on the parts are a lot better fit than on my Mustang!

 

[Vlad Soare]

Once it’s used on a COVID19 patient for a week or longer, does that now render the ventilator “contaminated”? Or are certain parts of these units discarded before moving it onto another patient?

Good question. I don't know, but frankly I don't see why the device couldn't be decontaminated, like any other medical tool. And if there's also an air filtering element, it will likely be replaceable.

 

[samd1351]

I saw another Ford plat was being used to make the clear face shields. And GM is also pitching in to make either respirators or ventilators, I don't recall which.

Glad to see these companies jumping in to help. My cousin is an OR nurse in Denver, and says it's brutal in the ER. She's trying to get to NY to help on the Navy ship with regular ER cases and Operating Room cases.

 

[King cobra 500]

Hospitals aren't safe for the people going to work every day either. If you had read, this is a volunteer only production run. They are setting aside their own safety to benefit others.

Yes you are correct all of us that will be there volunteered to be there..we will not be running production indefinitely as of now

 

[samd1351]

Yes you are correct all of us that will be there volunteered to be there..we will not be running production indefinitely as of now

Well, thank you sir for your generosity and sacrifice.

 

[Twin Turbo]

Yes you are correct all of us that will be there volunteered to be there..we will not be running production indefinitely as of now

Indeed, thank you for stepping forward to help fight this dreadful virus. May you and your colleagues stay safe.

I woke up to the news this morning that this awful virus has taken one of "us". Mr Bob Fria, Mustang historian and friend of Lee Iacocca, passed away yesterday due to complications brought on my Covid-19. Mr Fria owned Mustang VIN 002 and wrote the superb book, Mustang Genesis.

Rest in peace, Mr Fria.

 

[Byronj]

Ford built bombers for t(e war effort. This isn’t a WW but still a fight for humanity

https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/expert-sets/101765/

 

[WD Pro]

Yes you are correct all of us that will be there volunteered to be there..we will not be running production indefinitely as of now

As much as I am looking forward to my mustang being built and the frustration of having to wait longer, this is definitely the right decision.

The havoc and human cost this virus is causing on a global scale is incredible and we should do everything in our power (regardless of what divides may traditionally exist) to work together to stamp this thing down.

Fair play to you for stepping up - someone somewhere will be immensely appreciative of what you are doing

WD

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