In an interview with Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, GE spokesman stated they would have amped up ventilator production much earlier if…
hospitals had ordered ventilators.
From digs into state DOH webpages, did not look like any state took steps to plan, inventory and order what would be needed Dec to Feb if the Wuhan flu spread.
GE Healthcare says it is increasing production of ventilators and other equipment
(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel March 19 2020)
https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/business/health-care/2020/03/19/ge-healthcare-increase-production-ventilators-response-coronavirus-crisis/2875423001/
'We’ll take them all': Demand for ventilators spikes as coronavirus looms
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/demand-ventilators-spikes-coronavirus-looms/story?id=69597233
Ireland:
Medtronic Increasing Ventilator Production to Address COVID-19 Pandemic
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/03/19/2003071/0/en/Medtronic-Increasing-Ventilator-Production-to-Address-COVID-19-Pandemic.html
Sweden:
Ventilator Maker Increases Production
https://www.manufacturing.net/safety/video/21122831/ventilator-maker-increases-production
Coronavirus: Plan to ramp up ventilator production 'unrealistic'
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-51914490