FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): A Fort Wayne company has shifted gears to help in the fight against the coronavirus.

Phoenix America normally makes sensors for motors, but they tell our Partners in News at ABC 21 they’ve started making simplified ventilators instead, to help area hospitals.

“Obviously we’re a manufacturer here in Fort Wayne, we want to keep our people employed, and we want to utilize them if at all possible to aid and comfort at this time of crisis,” says Phoenix’s Scott Mentzer.

He adds these should be used for patients who don’t need a “full-blown” ventilator but still need help breathing:

“This would be targeted at patients that, from a physician’s standpoint, don’t need to be on a full-blown ventilator and only if they don’t have enough ventilators to service all of their patients. If they have enough ventilators these patients should be on a ventilator.”

They’re also seeking input from area doctors to make sure their devices are being made properly.