Imperial County Jail inmates making masks
EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - Masks are now a mandatory accessory that can be hard to come by especially during the pandemic.
However, Imperial County Jail inmates are making masks for the community.
Correctional Sargeant Aaron Arreola says that making the masks is teaching them a new life skill while also helping the community.
“The biggest thing we tried to do with some of our inmate workers is we try to give them some type of life skill so one of the life skills we, we announced to them was sewing. Within sewing, we introduced the skill of trying to make a face mask.”
The masks are provided to Imperial County’s sheriff office staff and inmates and their goal is for each patrol car to have enough to supply the community.
“As of right now we are sewing face masks not only for the inmates, staff and possibly public some of the deputy’s go on patrol see people without a face mask and they contact the individual and are given a face mask.”
Wearing facial coverings in public is mandated in Imperial County and in many places they are sold-out.
“I think everybody is giving a little to the community and not only us but there’s people out there that don’t have the means to go buy themselves a mask or don’t have the means to find education where to find a mask. We’re all giving a little to the community to help us get out of this state.”
The masks are made of cloth which makes them re-usable and they are washed before they are distributed to the public.
When the state of California does re-open facial coverings will still be required.
