Clear From Galveston

All of our crews are clear of Galveston and are presently in San Antonio.  We hear that there 600 patients n the area that need to be transported.  Our entire task-force is back together and is part of a group of 200 ambulances awaiting orders for the move.

All of us are in a holding pattern and remain in good spirits with no injuries.  We have rotated people out of here so that the ones who spent the past week in Texas can return home.  

Phil Koster has returned to lead the team.  Even though there is down time today we remain busy by washing our trucks and equipment.  

Contract Extended

Our contract has been extended through 9/23/2008 or longer if needed by FEMA.

Five of our ambulances are currently in Galveston and assisting Texas authorities in search and rescue in the heaviest damaged areas.

15 new crew members sent to Texas on 9/18/2008 to provide relief to crew members that have been in the theatre for some time.

We have participated in urgent evacuations in Beaumont, Port Arthur and Houston Texas of hospitals and nursing homes, shelters and individual residences with many patients being loaded on C-130 Air National Guard planes and flown to distant safe locations.

Crew spirits remain high and all are proud of the work they are doing.

So Many Ambulances

Hello to all from the home of the Alamo, San Antonio, Texas.

I've never seen so many ambulances in one place in my life! According to the folks at the registration desk, there are more than 500 ambulances here. It is ridiculous trying to get around. It's constant movement, constant diesel fumes and associated sounds of 500 diesel engines idling. Add to that the high humidity and temperature and it's not quite life on the beach.

Most of the crews here have been sleeping in their trucks. Many are decked out with shades in the windows, covers for the windshields...it almost looks like an RV park devoted to EMS.

Toilets here are port-o-pottys which, I'm sure you are all aware, are not compatible with heat, direct sunlight and high humidity. The food tent just got set up today and they brought in a second shower unit WITH HOT WATER. That was a good thing, considering our crews were deployed on a mission for more than 30 straight hours!

I can't believe how professional these crews have been. When most other people would have thrown up their arms and given up, these folks kept on giving. I am so proud to be here with them.

We are all back at the staging area, waiting for the storm to pass. We know that the real fun will begin then.

Next update tomorrow!

-Dan

Ike Evacuation

Our arrival at Tully High School in Houston went with out any problems. We were able to park the ambulances after getting fuel and grab a small bite to eat but shortly after that we were on the move again headed to Anahauc, TX, which is right on the Gulf.

The trip was long, some ambulances from our strike force got lost and ended up in Galveston, TX. None were ours, so we had to wait until they caught back up in a church parking lot and when the pastor showed up he panicked a bit, but relaxed once he knew why we were there. We then went to another staging area in a parking lot where we could get drinks and snacks and use a rest room. We then staged one more time at Fort Anahauc Park where they hold the yearly gator festival, which ended up being canceled due to Ike. We only knew this due to some really nice local residents that paid us a visit while we waited. They stated there are some huge gators in the water at the edge of the park, but we did not see any. We then finally landed at Anahauc Extended Care where only the 15 CEMS and affiliates ambulances were used. 

Next in an orderly fashion we loaded up 1 patient at a time however, one ambulance took two patients, a nice couple that had been engaged recently. This was a long, slow, and grueling process but we got it done with the help of the Anahauc Volunteer Fire Department, and the good organization of the nursing home staff. 

They started evacuating the ambulatory patients with 2 large motor coach buses while we waited for final instructions of where we were to go. We ended up at southeastern Regional Airport after a 57 mile drive where we waited very patiently with our patients for the Air National Guard to triage and let us unload them into the airport Fire Department garage, on to cots then to the large C130 planes. Our AMR/FEMA Task Force leader lead the charge with A701 to the Port Authur Civic Center where we not only picked up patients, but their families and a large amount of luggage which got evenly distributed to all 15 ambulances. 

The Port Authur Police and Fire Department were so grateful they took a business card from one of us and they said they were going to contact the office and tell them what a great professional job we had done to help them finish their evacuation in a timely manor when they thought these citizens of theirs were not going to get evacuated. 

We made it back to the airport where we waited outside the gates for what seemed like an eternity. We made it inside where we are still waiting for the Air National Guard to decide whether the patients are flying or busing out, but all their luggage has already been tagged, picked up, and awaiting to be loaded onto a plane. 

We all know about best laid plans, so we are being very patient and taking excellent care of our patients until we turn over care to the Air National Guard. There still might be a nursing home for us to evacuate, but we will see what the rest of the night has in store, sounds like either another nursing home or hospital still needs evacuating its now 2355.  More tomorrow

Michael Smith

Moving Patients Back Home

Today we are continuing to return patients to southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana.  As patients are returned to their pre-hurricane locations FEMA will begin to release vehicles to return home.  No decisions have been made on the disposition of the Community EMS family of vehicles.  At this time we continue to report to the San Antonio emergency command center.  We will continue to follow direction from FEMA until we are ordered back home.

All Safe But Very Fatigued

"We are all safe, but very fatigued.  The weather conditions are extremely hot and crews worked 20 hour days during the first 2 days with very little rest.  There's also been a tremendous amount of driving involved.  Some patients have had to be driven 3-5 hours from where they were picked up, yet everyone's in good spirits and eager to assist"

Phil Koster 

Strike Team Leader

Scott & White EMS Missions

The Scott & White employees made it to Mississippi early Saturday morning and have been working very hard for the past 2 days.  They have been involved with several missions of moving patients inland for the coastal areas of Mississippi.  Today, they have been staging at one of the local hospitals anticipating the arrival of 70 patients to be triaged and placed in the hospitals or shelters.

Scott & White EMS have also been called to action in Texas as well.  We sent 1 ambulance with staff to the Austin airport to assist with the movement of 200 "special needs patients" to the Austin Convention Center.  This mission is only expected to last throughout the evening hours.

Thank you,

Chuck Pearson