Our employees continue to act as the leaders for our community during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Many of our employees come from military or first responder backgrounds, where individuals put their lives at risk to ensure the safety of others. Members of the MSA Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Vehicle Screening Center (VSC), and mail screening teams have stepped up in support of the COVID-19 crisis response. Employees at the VSC are mostly retired or active military; those who are on active duty have been activated before and during the pandemic crisis. Other employees who work in the EOC or as mail screeners are individuals who have taken it upon themselves to support their community during this essential time of need.
Phil Lavigne, Mail Screener
Photo: USA Today Network: Restaurant and Retired Police Officer Team Up To Feed Hospital Workers
Phil partnered with Feed the Front Line, a non-profit organization dedicated to provide meals to front line workers. Phil and local restaurant, Tuscany, helped deliver free meals to hospital workers in New Jersey.
Shane Buchanan, VSC Screener
Shane has served in the Army National Guard for the past 5 years. His unit was activated at the start of the pandemic, and remains working within the community. Shane spends his days delivering food to some of the local food banks. Once food drop offs are complete, the unit begins delivering medical supplies to multiple testing sites and city hospitals.
Daniel Fletcher, VSC Screener
Daniel serves as a Combat Medic in the Army National Guard. When the pandemic began, Daniel’s unit activated him and his peers to assist NYC. Since then, Daniel has worked at multiple testing sites throughout the NYC region, to assist in testing residents for COVID-19.
Augustine Vives, VSC Screener
Augustine has served his community as an NYPD auxiliary officer and continues to serves in the Army National Guard. At the start of the pandemic, his unit placed their focus on the residents of the NYC Housing Authority, and has been tasked with ensuring residents are provided with food, PPE, and hand sanitizer.
Mike O’Neill, Bomb Technician, MSA Emergency Operations Center
Mike, one of MSA's bomb techs in the Emergency Operations Center in NYC, owns multiple ice cream trucks in the New York Tri-state area. He has been serving free ice cream to medical workers on the front line. For the full video, visit our Facebook page.
The COVID-19 and economic crisis does not discriminate, all of humanity has been impacted in some way. It is times like these where we learn to live again and our MSA employees have taught us all a lesson moving forward. When choosing to act compassionately, you provide a sense of peace to someone who may need it most. A common trend amongst MSA employees is the innate desire to help others. We are proud to acknowledge our employees that have shown selfless and admirable work within the community. To stay updated on more information, visit our COVID-19 Response and Resource Page.