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Hurricane Katrina

    As time permits the stories will be posted as they appeared in The Progress Newspaper.

As printed in The Progress on Sept 6, 2005

Emergency personnel head south for relief efforts

By Terry Whetstone

Staff Writer

PHILIPSBURG - Hurricane Katrina - there aren't many people around who don't know the devastation it has done.

    Four employees of Moshannon Valley Emergency Medical Services are getting a first-hand look at the destruction, as they've been deployed to help in the recovery efforts.

Paramedics Wes Cartwright, Dave Mulhollem and Theo Waksmunski and emergency medical technician Mike Woods hit the road at 3:30 p.m. Saturday en route to the New Orleans area.

    The arrived there by 9 p.m. Sunday, about 30 hours later.

Scott Rhoat, emergency medical services program specialist for Seven Mountains EMS council, said officials from Louisiana had called Pennsylvania and asked for help.

    "They know we have the Surge team in place," Mr. Rhoat said. "So they made their first call for help to us."

    According to Mr. Rhoat, Surge is not an acronym for anything in particular, it simply means it is a team that goes above and beyond its normal activities.

    The Surge team was established following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and when it was formed its intent was to send the teams anywhere in Pennsylvania and possibly to the surrounding states such as New York, Ohio, Maryland, etc.

    "We never expected to be sent halfway across the country," Mr. Rhoat said. "We just found another use for the teams."

    Mr. Rhoat said Louisiana requested 80 ambulances from Pennsylvania and two crew per unit. They were going to be used to help evacuate people, but the national Guard arrived and alleviated a lot of the needs.

    "They (officials from Louisiana) called back and said they still wanted 20 ALS (advance life support) units," Mr. Rhoat said. "MVEMS and Center Lifelink EMS are both sending two crews and one ambulance. At this time there is no need for basic life support teams."

Mr. Rhoat said the memorandum that was signed calls for the teams to return by Sunday. Phone calls were made to members of the MVEMS Surge Team Friday night to see who could pack up and leave at a moments notice.

    "We were notified Friday that Surge Teams are to pack their bags," said Sandy Foster, corporate manager of MVEMS. "The teams were expected to leave at 3 a.m. but all of the paper work was not signed by then."

    The Federal Emergency Management Agency had to assure all of the proper papers were signed before anyone left the state. 

Mrs. Foster said the MVEMS teams met up with a team from Center Lifelink EMS in State College and together they met up with several other crews from Pennsylvania at the Harrisburg Farm Complex Building. They were briefed on what was going on and headed south.

    While the teams are there, they are not allowed to speak with members of the media, however, Mrs. Foster said she is aware of where her crews are located and they are safe.

    "If we have to send more crews down, we will," she said. "It's our job to help those in need, not just locally but anywhere."

    She said the area is still being covered and she does  not foresee any problems.

    "The people of the Moshannon Valley need to realize that while we have an ambulance and two crews helping with the hurricane relief efforts, the people of the Moshannon Valley are still being cared for around the clock," she said.

As printed in The Progress on Sept 8, 2005

Mo Valley EMS crew arrives in New Orleans and gets to work

    PHILIPSBURG - When Hurricane Katrina hit the southern United States on August 30, forecasters knew it was going to be bad and it was, but it wasn't until flood levies left loose that it got even worse for residents of New Orleans.
    The deadliest and most destructive natural disaster to hit this country has destroyed hundreds of homes and likely taken thousands of lives and the clean-up was more than the state of Louisiana could handle on its own.
    Help was called for and one of the first phone calls was made to Pennsylvania. The Keystone State has responded.
    "We've sent three support vehicles, 19 ambulances and 86 staff members down to help," said Troy Thomas, press secretary of the state Department of Health. "When those vehicles arrived it was a sight for sore eyes, a welcomed sight."
    Moshannon Valley Emergency Medical Services is a part of that sight, having sent one ambulance and four employees.
    Those employees include paramedics Wes Cartwright, Dave Mulhollem and Theo Waksmunski and emergency medical technician Mike Woods. They've been there since Sunday and are expected to return home this Sunday.
    "We have 60 ambulances on standby right now," Mr. Thomas said. "Initially Louisiana wanted 80 ambulances, but they called and reduced that number, so they are on standby in case they are needed."
    While rumors were floating around the Philipsburg area that Pennsylvania is the only state to send EMS help, Mr. Thomas said that's not true; however, he said Pennsylvania has sent the most EMS help.
    As of yesterday afternoon, Mr. Thomas said the crews were triaging parients in New Orleans and transporting them to outlying hospitals for treatment. He said they are also working with patients at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.
    "So far they've handled 138 missions," Mr. Thomas said. "They are making Pennsylvania proud,"
    He said there are a number of different projects they can and have been doing.
While the trip down is anything but a vacation for the four MVEMS employees, they are learning a lot, but talking to the employees is tough.
    "We were told not to talk to the media," Ms.Waksmunski said. "I'd love to but I'm not allowed at this time."
    Sandy Foster, corporate manager, MVEMS, said once again the residents of the Moshannon Valley need not worry - they are still being covered by ambulance services, even though one ambulance and four employees are away.
    "I just got an email today," Mrs. Foster said. "A second round is not anticipated at this time."
    Mr. Thomas said that under the circumstances the EMS personnel are making the state very proud.
    Pine Glen Fire Co. has also send its tanker and manpower to the Gulf Coast and it is expected to be there for about a month. The exact assignment is unknown at this time.
    Those health professionals not employed by a hospital wishing to volunteer time can access a pair of Web sites to try to get their name on the list.
    "The outpouring of support from health professionals who want to volunteer for Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts has been tremendous," said Dr. Calvin B. Johnson, secretary of DOH, in a statement released yesterday. "This Web site is the proper was to get volunteers where they are needed."
    The health professionals not employed by hospitals who are interested should register at http://pa.esarvhp.com. The secure sire is administered by the PA DOH and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration.
    Health professionals and physicians employed by hospitals can register their interest in volunteering through the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania. Register at www.haponline.org.
    The release said those wishing to volunteer should not report directly to the disaster area without specific instruction from the state Emergency Management Agency. The department of health will notify the volunteers of their intentions.