Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will manufacture and donate more than 1 million protective face masks per month, the company announced.  

The company plans to begin manufacturing the face masks in the coming weeks and expects to distribute its initial production across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.  

FCA will donate the masks to police, EMTs, firefighters, and workers in hospitals and health care clinics.  

Producing and donating masks is only the first step in a multifaceted global program that the company is developing to support the global fight against COVID-19, according to FCA.   

"Protecting our first responders and health care workers has never been more important,” said Mike Manley, FCA CEO. “In addition to the support we are giving to increase the production of ventilators, we canvassed our contacts across the healthcare industry and it was very clear that there is an urgent and critical need for face masks. We've marshalled the resources of the FCA Group to focus immediately on installing production capacity for making masks and supporting those most in need on the front line of this pandemic."   

FCA plans to announce further actions related to the fight against COVID-19 in the days to come.