Coronavirus Latest: Montgomery County Doctor Coming Out Of Retirement To Help Fight Against Pandemic
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Pa. (CBS) -- As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to surge, hospitals could become stretched to the limit. The need is greater than ever for supplies and people.
Everyone in this situation has been called upon to give up something, whether that is seeing friends or family, giving up potential business and for some, it has meant giving up their time in retirement.
In a room with boxes of much-needed medical supplies, a strange sound was heard -- laughter, and that means hope.
"Behind me, you see many county employees going through and sorting personal protective equipment," Bucks County Director of Emergency Services Scott Forrester said.
Some of that equipment was purchased by the county and will go to "police, emergency medical services long-term care facilities, hospitals," according to Forrester.
Other supplies were requested and granted by the federal government.
"All of the N95 masks that we got today are from the strategic national stockpile," Forrester said.
"We are actually trying to buy, as well as receive donations from businesses across the state and individuals as well," Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said.
It's a different kind of call to action.
Retired medical professionals from around the country, like Dr. Ed Balaban in Montgomery County, have signed up to return to service.
"It's gratifying to see and hear so many of my colleagues and friends doing the same thing," Balaban said.
Balaban has been retired for a year-and-a-half.
How he will be utilized and where he will be dispatched to has not been confirmed yet.
