The First Federal Community Foundation and First Federal are providing a $26,000 grant for Olympic Medical Center to purchase equipment to test for COVID-19 and other illnesses such as influenza.

The grant, donated to OMC through the Olympic Medical Center Foundation, will fund purchase of the Biofire system for OMC’s hospital laboratory, helping the lab increase rapid COVID-19 testing capabilities, OMC officials said last week.

“Having the ability to utilize various testing tools gives us access to more testing resources, which is important in providing safe, quality care to our patients,” Darryl Wolfe, OMC chief executive officer said.

“The Biofire allows us to be more nimble if another type of testing resource becomes unavailable. We are incredibly appreciative to First Federal and the OMC Foundation for their support to help us obtain the Biofire at such a critical time.”

The Biofire system can also be used to test for several other illnesses, including influenza A/B and other respiratory and gastro-intestinal maladies, OMC officials said.

“OMC approached First Federal Community Foundation for support because our mission is to improve the quality of life in the communities First Federal serves,” Norman Tonina, chairman of the First Federal Community Foundation and Director of First Federal, said.

“The COVID-19 testing equipment gives our foundation the opportunity to do just that, supporting residents across the North Olympic Peninsula. We’re proud to contribute to this initiative, which increases the region’s rapid testing capabilities.”

First Federal and the First Federal Community Foundation have in recent years provided major gifts to the OMC Foundation, including $100,000 toward the expansion of Olympic Medical Cancer Center and funding for the area’s first digital mammography equipment.