Gun makers in the U.S. are expanding normal production to include the manufacturing of masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) for first responders.

Fox News reports that Ruger, Sig Sauer, Smith & Wesson, and Taurus are among the companies making and donating masks to first responders.

Guns & Ammo’s Eric Poole said, “The [PPE] donations have been made to first responders such as police, fire, and EMTs, but also to healthcare professionals in their local hospitals. The response has been growing among companies as they learn how they can shift their capabilities.”

Sig Sauer alone has “donated nearly 15,000 KN95 masks to over 80 different local law enforcement, EMS, fire departments and medical facilities in New Hampshire, Oregon, and Arkansas.”

Sig Chief Marketing Officer Tom Taylor commented, “As the events surrounding COVID-19 began to progress, it was clear to us very early on, that we were going to need to procure a significant amount of PPE to ensure the health and safety of our employees. In the process of preparing our workforce, we were also able to secure enough masks so that we could contribute PPE within the communities where our facilities operate, and our employees live, which allowed us to have the greatest possible impact.”

On March 31, 2020, Breitbart News reported that Remington Arms volunteered to convert portions of its New York facility from gun manufacturing to produce ventilators and other hospital necessities.

KIRO 7 reported that Remington CEO Ken D’Arcy said, “We would be honored to donate our facility to the production of ventilators, surgical masks, hospital beds or any other products mission-critical to the war on coronavirus.”

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.