Once he got a lawyer involved, FEMA finally sent him something in writing, explaining his equipment was being held under the authority of the Defense Production Act.
He said his customers include nursing facilities, first responders and the state of Michigan.
In an emailed statement, FEMA reportedly told the Delaware News Journal that reports of the agency commandeering or rerouting supplies were “false.”
Such in-demand equipment “being distributed internally within the United States is not being seized,” FEMA reportedly said.
Gianforcaro, meanwhile, shared a written order with the newspaper in which FEMA directed Indutex to sell to the federal government “all filtering facepiece respirators, including the N95 respirators contained within shipment number 8994645378 that arrived at JFK Airport” on April 6.
The FEMA do ent also ordered Indutex to “set aside” all N95 or surgical masks that it acquires during the coronavirus emergency for a potential sale to FEMA.
It said the masks would be sent to the Strategic National Stockpile.
FEMA did not respond to follow-up questions about the paperwork, the newspaper reported.