Front Line Defense

TRI-C STUDENT PAUL BLAZEK USED HIS 3D PRINTER TO MAKE ‘EAR GUARDS’ FOR MASK-WEARING WORKERS BATTLING THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK

Cuyahoga Community College student Paul Blazek started his 3D printer each morning this past spring with one goal in mind: Help those working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Blazek spent weeks making “ear guards” that prevent chafing from the elastic straps that hold face masks in place. The devices addressed complaints from mask-wearing workers who often had the backs of their ears rubbed raw during long shifts.

The notched plastic strips made by Blazek wrap around the back of a person’s head. When wearing a mask, the elastic straps loop around the notches on the strip. This holds the mask in place without irritating ears. Blazek — who is in Tri-C’s information technology program — found the design on thingiverse.com, an open-source 3D printing community. He joins a legion of people across the country making ear guards.

“I wanted to do something to help, and this seemed like a way to really make a difference for people working during the outbreak,” Blazek said. “I figured I’d print some up and see if anyone wanted them.”

Blazek produced hundreds of the ear guards, which each took about 45 minutes to create. Several batches went to caregivers at Southwest General Health Center in Middleburg Heights.

“THIS SEEMED LIKE A WAY TO REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.”

—Paul Blazek, Information Technology student

Requests even came from out of state. He shipped a package off to nurses at a North Carolina hospital after they read about Blazek’s project in Tri-C’s online newsroom.

Blazek is set to graduate from Tri-C this summer with an Associate of Applied Business degree in IT programming and development. He’ll also receive a certificate in web application development.

The 18-year-old from Brunswick is an Honors Program Fellow at the College.