 Looks like it's up to you today, Finest Readers. Go!! Get Googling! |
Yesterday's thread should be:
Bless you!
As many of you know, my older son volunteered BEFORE 9/11 to be a member of the South Florida-5 DMAT Team - [Disaster Medical Assistance Team, that is.]
His Team was scheduled to in November 2001 go to Ground Zero as first responders to treat those in the holes digging in the rubble, after the WTC towers fell; but were stood down when it turned out there after all were enough teams in the Region to handle that service.
His team was deployed in Hurricane Lili in Louisiana a couple of years ago - and last September to Punta Gorda, Florida when Hurricane Charley demolished the ER at Charlotte Regional Medical Center, as well as much of the other medical facilities in that whole area.
Each DMAT Team has two well-equipped medical field tents and a separate Communications Tower (with its own personnel) to be in constant touch with the world; unlike the Louisiana elected and incapable officials.
Each team is expected to have with them everything they will need personally or medically for a 48 hour period, in case they are located in an area where other responders will not arrive until then for support.
For 11 days, they served AS the ER for the region, setting up in the Hospital Parking Lot - each of the two tents manned by one Physician and one PA, who worked 12 hours on-twelve off all that time. (Each DMAT Unit also has nurses, a lab tech to do rudimentary testing, and basic meds.)
Helicopters took severely injured/ill patients to upstate hospitals for treatment.
When Hurricane Katrina aimed toward New Orleans, his DMAT Team was on Standby for rapid deployment; but since Steve has just moved up the coast a bit, is in a voluntary deployment status for DMAT-5, and had to decline when they were very shortly after flown to Louisiana.
I reported on a thread here that one of the members told Steve they moved into New Orleans right away - but they and another team were actually assaulted by "bad guys" - had to hole up in a high rise building to escape them - AFTER they had been robbed of their supplies (meds, etc.) AND all the cash the Teams took with them to use as necessary!
Steve also is on Standby as still a member of three Elite Teams in the U.S.- Los Angeles, Boston, and his in South Florida - as International DMAT Insert Teams.
Fortunately, they did not have to deploy for this one; many regular DMAT Teams on ground in the Gulf Area.
Last night I received an email from Steve with a link to an EXCELLENT NARRATIVE by a DMAT Responder on ground in New Orleans before Governor Blanco blinked her eyes.
She describes in DETAIL the WHO - WHAT -WHEN of the situation, and her role in it and what she knew!!
I IMPLORE - BEG - PLEAD with you to follow the link I will insert here. As I did, as you read it all the way through, you will cheer - marvel - weep - scream with utter frustration at pitiful 'The Media' reporting - the injustice done so many fine individuals.
The Published Letter she wrote is titled "A FEMA Volunteer Judges The FEMA Response As She Saw It" by Jodi Witte - - to reach it, please - Click Here -
I promise it will give you not only satisfaction, but a lot of ammo to shove in the face of doubters of Bush - of FEMA - of our national response....
I know how much planning ahead of the Teams is done - that they must *ALWAYS* have their cell phone on and be fully packed,no matter wherethey are - and when alerted, have only 30 minutes to gather, get to plane or truck, and GO.
~ LadyX,
Proud Mommo
cable guy is here.. whoooooooooooooooopie. (but I thought it was 12 - 4 time frame. His work order said 8-12
Opppss.. chaos. Poor guy.
Later
Awesome Pledge!!!!
Your non-theme theme is a scream!!!!
050919-N-1229B-003 Pacific Ocean (Sept. 19, 2005) - An SH-60B Seahawk, assigned to the “Saberhawks” of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light Four Seven (HSL-47), refuels during plane guard duties aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Lincoln and embarked Carrier Air Wing Two (CVW-2) are currently conducting Quarterly Surge Sustainment Training off the coast of Southern California. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Patrick M. Bonafede (RELEASED)
050919-N-4166B-120 Pacific Ocean (Sept. 19, 2005) - A Sailor assigned to Air Department walks on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) as the sun rises over the bow. Lincoln and embarked Carrier Air Wing Two (CVW-2) are currently conducting Quarterly Surge Sustainment Training off the coast of Southern California. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Jordon R. Beesley (RELEASED)