Family-Owned Medical Supply Business Scrambles to Meet Demands of Coronavirus Pandemic
When they're not restocking shelves at the Long Beach business, they're taking phone calls for more much-needed items like gloves, sanitizers and masks
By Jonathan Lloyd and Toni Guinyard ••
NBC Universal, Inc.
A small family-owned business in Long Beach is doing what it can to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. Toni Guinyard reports for Today in LA on Wednesday March 25, 2020.
Phones seem to never stop ringing these days at a small family-owned medical supply business in Long Beach.
The buzz of early morning activity at Mozena Medical Supplies & Equipment illustrates how urgent demand is for items like masks, gloves, sanitizers and other health safety products during the coronavirus pandemic. Not long after supplies arrive, they’re out the door — already spoken for by buyers who need everything they can get to battle the fast-moving virus.
“Hospitals are calling for masks, sanitizers, wipes, gloves, even these bunny suits,” said president Steve Mozena, holding up a package containing the familiar full body suit that guards against infection.
Mozena and wife Lucille were restocking items and filling orders at the store well before dawn Wednesday. She also was making protective masks, sewing them together before grabbing another stack of boxes filled with much-needed supplies or answering a phone call.
They’re usually working the phones by night, taking calls from vendors located here and around the world. By day, they’re making deliveries.
The supply of N-95 masks at the business was already spoken for early Wednesday. Another shipment of 500 was expected Friday.
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Aerial view of the Hospital ship USNS Mercy docked at Naval Base San Diego on March 20, 2020 in San Diego, California. California (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Sarah Burford-U.S. Navy via Getty Images
The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) takes on supplies, March 20, 2020, at Naval Base San Diego. (Photo by Sarah Burford-U.S. Navy via Getty Images)
Sarah Burford-U.S. Navy via Getty Images
The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) takes on supplies, March 20, 2020, at Naval Base San Diego. (Photo by Sarah Burford-U.S. Navy via Getty Images)
Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Mike Jones - U.S. Navy via Getty Images
Master-at-Arms 3rd Class Ashlee McCasland, Master-at-Arms 2nd Class Jonathan Shaw and Senior Chief Master-at-Arms Lou Canton prepare pallets of supplies to be loaded aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) at Naval Base San Diego, March 21, 2020. (Photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Mike Jones – U.S. Navy via Getty Images)
Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Mike Jones - U.S. Navy via Getty Images
Steve King, a Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest forklift driver, prepares to deliver pallets during a supply load aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) at Naval Base San Diego, March 21, 2020. (Photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Mike Jones – U.S. Navy via Getty Images)
Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Mike Jones - U.S. Navy via Getty Images
Steve King, a Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest forklift driver, prepares to deliver pallets during a supply load aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) at Naval Base San Diego, March 21, 2020. (Photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Mike Jones – U.S. Navy via Getty Images)
Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class David Mora Jr.
Rear Adm. Timothy Weber, commander of Naval Medical Forces Pacific, speaks to members of the press before the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) departs Naval Base San Diego, March 23, 2020. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class David Mora Jr./Released)
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LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 27: USNS Mercy arrived in the Port of Los Angeles, United States on March 27, 2020 at 8:40 A.M. Her mission is to provide relief for Southern California hospitals should they be overrun with coronavirus (COVID-19) cases. The men and women serving on the ship will remain onboard during the duration of this deployment. No one is allowed on or off the ship except for patients transferred for care. (Photo by Neal Waters/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 27: USNS Mercy arrived in the Port of Los Angeles, United States on March 27, 2020 at 8:40 A.M. Her mission is to provide relief for Southern California hospitals should they be overrun with coronavirus (COVID-19) cases. The men and women serving on the ship will remain onboard during the duration of this deployment. No one is allowed on or off the ship except for patients transferred for care. (Photo by Neal Waters/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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SAN PEDRO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: A woman watches from shore as the USNS Mercy Navy hospital ship arrives in the Port of Los Angeles to assist with the coronavirus pandemic on March 27, 2020 in San Pedro, California. The ship holds 1,000 beds which will be used to treat non-coronavirus patients in an effort to free up hospital beds for those suffering from COVID-19. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
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The US Navy hospital ship Mercy arrives March 27, 2020 at the Port of Los Angeles to help local hospitals amid the growing coronavirus crisis, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)
Mozena’s father, an immigrant from Italy, started the business in the 1950s. The company’s website features vintage photos of the family and the business’ early days.
“He’d be saddened by it, but he would have done what he could to help people,” Mozena said.
Anticipating more hospitalizations and deaths, California and local governments have been scrambling to obtain gloves and safety gear for healthcare workers and ramping up the number of available hospital beds for virus patients. This week, a 1,000-bed Navy hospital ship is expected to arrive in the Port of Los Angeles to provide relief by treating non-COVID-19 patients.
