West Virginia National Guard health officials respond to disaster area

Courtesy Photo | A soldier is evaluated by the West Virginia Emergency Medical Support Group. They are based out of Charleston, W.Va. hkat  

09.19.2005

Courtesy Story

153rd Public Affairs Detachment

153rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
September 19, 2005

BELLE CHASSE, La. -- Clean water is essential to the health of troops in the field.

Ensuring the commodity was the recent mission of some health officials with the West Virginia National Guard's 130th Airlift Wing based in Charleston, W.Va.

"Our mission is to provide support and take care of the first line of defense for Soldiers," said Lt. Col. Brent Doney, public health officer with the 130th Airlift Wing.

"We get the Soldiers the resources they need in order to make working conditions safe," said the Fairmont, W.Va. resident.

In the civilian sector, Doney works for the Bio-Environmental Engineers for Center of Disease & Control.

"I volunteered because I thought I could help based on my skills as a Bio-Environmental Engineer for the CDC," he said. "This is a terrible natural disaster that has impacted a lot of people who now can't help themselves."

About a dozen members of the Emergency Medical Support team responded in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. They set up a field medical hospital at Naval Air Station Belle Chasse near New Orleans. The West Virginia team consists of nurses, medics, X-ray technicians, public health and bioenvironmental engineers as well as medical logistics technicians.

"The water wasn't safe when we first got here," Doney said. "The Navy Sea Bee's got it up and running."

Members of EMEDS were charged with checking trailers on and off base to see if the water supply was safe. They also inspected areas such as St. Bernard Parish and Jackson Barracks to determine water safety and the soldiers" working conditions. Water samples were also taken.

Maj. Norman Douglas, chief nurse with the 130th Airlift Wing, said a main role of the EMEDS is to keep the lines of communication open with the troops that are on the ground in Louisiana as part of Task Force West Virginia. He said they keep close tabs on the Soldiers and Airmen.

"We also go over and talk to the Soldiers and make sure they are okay," said the Charleston resident who is a chief flight nurse with HealthNet Aero Medical in the civilian sector.

Adding: "They know that they can come to us night or day for treatment."

A member of the West Virginia National Guard for nearly a quarter century, Douglas said setting up field hospitals is nothing new for him.

"We are here to treat the Soldiers; however, we are treating civilian police, EMS, firefighters and hurricane victims," Douglas said.

So far the EMEDs have treated everything from minor injuries to facial fractures at the 25-bed field hospital.

"This is what we are trained to do," Douglas said. "I have been on EMed Exercises and participated in Inspector General Exercises, (but) this is the first time I have actually put all my training to work."

"I actually get to see everything in the works in a real world setting versus training," he said. "

Douglas said he has been impressed how Army and Air Force assets have worked together side-by-side complimenting one another during the joint mission.

"To see how each does things to come together as one unit," he added.

-- Spc. Jessica Brandon contributed to this article.
hkat

• Date Taken: 09.19.2005
• Date Posted: 09.19.2005 12:45
• Story ID: 3053