Garcetti says COVID-19 'Travel Safely Ambassadors' to deploy at LAX on Monday
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 24: Travelers walks past a test system of thermal imaging cameras which check body temperatures at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) amid the COVID-19 pandemic on June 24, 2020. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - Mayor Eric Garcetti said that a "Travel Safely Ambassador Program'' will begin next week at Los Angeles International Airport, with workers handing out free masks to people who need them, along with informational materials about safety precautions to fight COVID-19.
The program will start in Terminal 1, with plans to expand to all terminals at the airport.
"To encourage passengers to wear masks, which are required at LAX, starting on Monday,'' Garcetti said. "So you can have the peace of mind when you travel and we can all stop the spread.''
The Travel Safely ambassadors will be easy to spot, Garcetti said.
"They'll be wearing Travel Safely buttons and standing next to signs encouraging mask use,'' the mayor said. "As resources and staffing allow us to
get there, we want to have a world-class airport that provides you with world-
class safety.''
Garcetti said deep cleaning is being conducted at LAX's highly trafficked areas and there are now more than 250 hand-sanitizer stations throughout the airport.
"We're doing everything we can to protect everybody who's in need, to
protect our most vulnerable to stop the spread and to save lives,'' Garcetti said.
Thermal cameras that check passengers' body temperatures were installed in June at LAX throughout the Tom Bradley International Terminal and arrival areas of the airport as another layer of protection to help keep travelers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Garcetti also announced another hotel is now being used as part of Project Roomkey in the southeast San Fernando Valley, adding 150 rooms, bringing the total number of rooms to nearly 4,200 across the county. Project Roomkey seeks hotel and motel rooms throughout the county to house homeless
people temporarily amid the pandemic.
"There's only so much though that we can do locally, and I have been singing that song since the beginning of these briefings,'' Garcetti said. "We can't do this without national leadership.''
RELATED: Stay up to date on all coronavirus-related information
Garcetti said 830,000 people locally will lose federal unemployment benefits on Friday if Congress fails to act on a new relief plan.
"I want to take a moment because this is a critical moment for all of us to call the president, to call the senate, to call the House of Representative and to get action right now,'' the mayor said. "The stakes couldn't be higher.''
Get breaking news alerts in the FOX 11 News app. Download for iOS or Android.