UNC Hospitals' Hurricane Katrina Response Blog: 09/06/05

About Me

As part of the response to Hurricane Katrina, a team of UNC Hospitals' physicians and staff left Friday, Sept. 2 to travel to the Gulf Coast as part of the MidCarolina Trauma RAC's State Medical Assistance Team II. The team from UNC Hospitals is comprised of: Christine Clark, RN; Randy Kearns; Preston "Chip" Rich, MD; Michele Rudisill, RN; Ed Wilson, RN; Ben Zarzaur, MD; and Janet Young, MD. A second team from UNC Hospitals left Sept. 9 to relieve the first group of volunteers. The second team to help staff the K-Mart Klinic in Waveland, Miss., is comprised of: Alberto Bonifacio, RN; Joe Manese, Radiology Tech; Peter Milano, 5th year surgical resident; Andrew Millager, Pharmacist; Jim Rawlings, Pastoral Care; Tina Schade-Willis, MD; Renae Stafford, Trauma Attending Surgeon; Jim Starlin, Air Care Communications; and Wes Wallace, MD., attending, emergency medicine.

Tuesday, September 06, 2005

Helo Site Cleared

Up and running. Sat Com now reliable. Also have 42 inch plasma screen TV in the OR. For digital Sat rediography, but also works nicely to watch CNN or any other of 300 channels. Things are going well. Saw well over 100 patients and another 150 or so (I hear) for things like med refills. We are now the stewrds of the stragecic national stockpile. An 18 wheeler dropped off a lod of supplies that filled half of our hospital. Yesterday we clrrae the LZ for helicopters. Amazing. The national guard plowed the lot next to us. We have acces to three helo's, so I askedx if they plow over the light posts for better landing safety. Response: ABSOLUTELY. Down they came. When nothing remained but the concrete posts, they brought a jackhammer. That left only a field of debris which goes on the "Bad" side of the equation when helo's move. Solution? The NC Rowan County Search and Rescue brought their bayou fan boat. Left it on the trailer, and directed it around the site like the world'a largest leaf blower. Absoluelt amazing. Now we're looking for paint for the big "H". Regardless, our helicopter came already this morning with supplies (GIA's etc) that we had asked for from Mobile. Things are great. Looking forward to another exciting day. Will try to figure out how to download pictures.
Chip