Fair Lawn Face Shields
18,000+ Shields Produced
When hospitals and first responders in Bergen County faced severe PPE shortages during the early COVID-19 pandemic, my friend Daniel Mezhiborsky and I used 3D printers to produce face shields, adapting Prusa Inc's open-source design. What started in our garage grew into a community-wide initiative that produced and distributed over 18,000 reusable face shields to healthcare workers and first responders.
- Shields Made: 18,000+
- Healthcare Workers: 1,000+
- First Responders: 500+
- Local Partners: 20+
Community Response
In March 2020, Bergen County hospitals and first responders faced a critical shortage: inadequate or no PPE equipment. While commercial supply chains collapsed, we realized our 3D printers could be part of the solution. Working with the open-source Prusa face shield design, we started production immediately.
What began as two friends printing shields in a garage quickly expanded. Local businesses donated materials, healthcare facilities provided feedback on design modifications, and a network of volunteers helped with assembly and delivery logistics. The community came together in a way we hadn't anticipated.
Over several months, our initiative produced more than 18,000 reusable face shields distributed to hospitals, nursing homes, dental offices, EMS teams, and first responders throughout the region. The project demonstrated how distributed manufacturing and community coordination could respond to supply chain failures faster than traditional channels.