Photo By Staff Sgt. Thomas Calvert | The 14th Combat Support Hospital command team, 44th Medical Brigade of Fort Benning,...... read more read more
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It was a scene right out of a TV medical drama.
A surgical team with the 14th Combat Support Hospital, 44th Medical Brigade from Fort Benning, Georgia, was operating on a patient with a foreign object embedded in his foot October 15 in Humacao, Puerto Rico.
The 14th CSH had set up a combat hospital in the damaged Humacao Arena to assist local hospitals with patient care. Since Hurricane Maria, access to power and other resources has been a challenge in the areas most affected by the storm.
In the middle of surgery, the power went out.
“We train to deal with that kind of situation,” said Lt. Col. Daniel Raboin, an anesthesiologist with the 14th CSH. “We have battle drills that we run over and over so we know how to stabilize the patient and finish the surgery.”
The generator wasn’t running for a full 10 minutes, but the highly trained and well prepared operating room team didn’t let it faze them.
“We had headlamps on hand, and the nurses slipped them over our heads so we could keep working,” said Maj. Fernando Lopez, Jr., a surgery team member with the 14th CSH. “We had backup oxygen tanks ready and plenty of contingencies in place.”
Soldiers with the 14th CSH established a hospital in the southeast region of Puerto Rico to support lifesaving efforts and provide medical services to those affected by Hurricane Maria.
“We’re here to help these people,” said Sgt. 1st Class Jeremiah Canter, chief ward master of the 14th CSH. “We’re here for the win, and the win is providing the best assistance we can to the people of Puerto Rico and to help rebuild their lives, rebuild their communities and help them to move on to a brighter, happier day.”
The unit set up a full-fledged hospital in less than a week, with fully operational emergency services, patient administration, surgery services, two intensive care units, an intensive care wing, X-ray capabilities, dietary education and behavioral health support running 24 hours a day.
“I am so proud of all of our Soldiers and the work that we are doing here. We’ve worked so hard, and we are ready and able to assist the people of Puerto Rico and all of the hospitals in the area with whatever they may need,” said Col. Rachele Smith, commander of the 14th CSH.
After three days of operations, the hospital had seen 164 total patients and performed six surgeries. The facility is equipped to see about 100 patients a day, and has 44 beds available for those requiring intensive care support.
“The immediate impact to the community is what we bring to bridge the gap on the medical capability that’s already in this area,” Smith said. “We’ve been working with local hospitals to open that communication and work on a referral basis from them so that we can augment their capability.”
The 14th CSH worked with Humacao Mayor Marcelo Trujillo to use the Humacao Arena as a site for their operations, Canter said. The facility provides a secure site with protection from inclement weather and continuity of care for patients.
Setting up the hospital was not without its challenges, though. Lack of cell service and communication problems have been frustrating many disaster relief personnel on the island since the hurricane hit.
“All of the destruction has been really, really damaging to our efforts here,” said Maj. Manuel Menendez, commander of the 759th Forward Surgical Team, 44th Medical Brigade out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, currently attached to the 14th CSH. “Imagine trying to set up a modern technology hospital with Civil War communication methods.”
Humacao was hit particularly hard by the storm. One hospital in the town was left without any surgical capabilities and just one emergency room unit available. Another could only run its generator for a few hours a day. The 14th CSH’s hospital would nearly double the existing capacity for patient care in the area, Menendez said.
“Hurricane Maria affected all of Humacao,” said Luis Santiago-Torres, Humacao’s municipal secretary. “When I say all, I mean telephones, internet, energy, water supplies and water disposal systems. Having that hospital here in Humacao will aid the municipality and the state agencies to re-establish our city for the health and welfare of our population.”
The CSH received their equipment and medical supplies a little bit at a time, with 15 cargo loads full of medication and supplies arriving via C-17s from Fort Benning.
“As [our supplies] phased in, we stood up the capabilities as we could with the equipment as we received it,” Smith said. “As of this moment, we are fully operational.”
Humacao Arena was a flurry of activity even before the hospital was open to the public. Soldiers cleaned broken glass left over from the storm, built raised platforms for tents, and laid out cables for medical equipment.
“The hospital will allow those people who can’t get to their local places because of financial issues to get some healthcare, and I think it will help ease some frustration in the local community when they see that the Army is here to help them out,” Canter said. “We’ve got everything covered and everything they need, so bring it on!”
Lopez Jr., a native of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, said it’s amazing to come back to his island and help out in any way he can. He thinks that other Soldiers feel the same.
“We feel the love from the Puerto Rican people and the appreciation for all that we’re doing out here,” Lopez Jr. said. “It actually gets me a little emotional, because Puerto Rico needs the help.”
Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló was on hand for the hospital’s first day of operations, where he visited patients and was briefed by the command team on the CSH’s patient care capabilities.
“It sounds like you guys have your hands full, but we’re very thankful for your service and for coming to Puerto Rico in this time of need,” Rosselló said.
| Date Taken: | 10.15.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 10.17.2017 13:41 |
| Story ID: | 251983 |
| Location: | HUMACAO, PR |
| Web Views: | 863 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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