Hurricane Gustuv

Little Rock is a part of the NDMS Nation Disaster Medical System. What this means is that whenever a city meets with a disaster such as a hurricane, and evacuation from area hospitals is needed, this program springs into action. Each participating hospital in the destination city sends in a bed count for specific types of patients they can receive the goal then becomes to match the number of patients sent to the number of patients able to be received. Little Rock has been a part of this system for many years, but I think we had all believed that it would never be tested. Tested it was for hurricane Katrina. We learned a lot of lessons that year.

Saturday we had the opportunity to test our skills and lessons once again.
We started off Saturday at 10AM at MEMS getting ready to receive patients that we were told would arrive at noon. The first plane did not come till late that evening which meant a lot of tiring waiting @ 12 hours at first. The logistical preparation for the evacuation was in credible. A total of 30 ambulances were gather at one time, not to mention support staff for treatment, carrying stretchers, food, etc…When the planes finally started coming it got busy, real busy.
The preliminary totals are.
13 aircraft were received (a mix of C-130 and C-17)
233 patients were off loaded, triaged, treated and transported to local hospitals

There at the end of the event we had three C-130 and two C-17 on the ground at the same time. One of the planes was from Canada that had been called in to serve the evacuation.

The leader for the Nation Disaster Medical System said in his report:
This was a massive operation. Probably larger than anything seen during Katrina/Rita and certainly the largest reception activity ever completed over such a short time.

There are not many times when my work at MEMS conflicts with my job as Pastor. One of the understanding Deacons said, “I see your work/ministry at MEMS as an extension of this local church” I sincerely appreciate that kind of support. Thank you to this congregation for freeing me to stay till the job was done late Sunday night.