Fort Carson sends 300 medical personnel to Washington state to help amid COVID-19 outbreak
FORT CARSON, Colo. (KRDO) -- Around 300 medical personnel from Fort Carson were deployed to Washington state on Friday to supply routine and emergency medical support amid the COVID-19 outbreak there.
The 627th Hospital Center will work closely under the direction of FEMA and the CDC to take off some of the pressure of the nurses and doctors working in Washington.
Lieutenant Colonel Jason Hughes says they will be fighting an enemy they can't see.
“It’s different than our normal mission of going to fight a war against a known enemy, but we’re excited to support this mission," Hughes said. "It’s a blessing for us to be able to serve the American people here on our home soil and we’re super excited.”
This will be the first deployment for a little more than half of the soldiers called, according to the Lieutenant Colonel.
“We have surgeons, we have microbiologists, lab personnel, medics, nurses, critical care nurses," Hughes said. "I mean you name it, we have it. We’ve become almost a level one trauma center almost anywhere in the world."
A Fort Carson spokesperson said this will be an open-ended deployment depending on the need of medical staff and patients in Washington.
For the original full release, see below:
More than 300 medical personnel from the 627th Hospital Center will deploy Washington State to provide supplemental routine and emergency medical support to community medical staffs, allowing them to focus their resources and efforts on detecting and treating patients believed to have been exposed to COVID-19.
Evans Army Community Hospital is working to minimize the impact Fort Carson Soldiers, Family members and Retirees.
This response is part of the whole-of-nation approach to fighting COVID-19. The Army is working with interagency partners - including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Defense Military Health System and others - to support and protect our military force and the American people.
Army Medicine is in full support of the Army's response to the COVID-19 pandemic and are synchronizing all medical resources to ensure our Soldiers and the American people are safe.
The deployment of medical personnel potentially may affect upcoming scheduled medical appointments and the number of patients who may be seen by their primary care providers. Fort Carson medical personnel will work closely with supporting medical network partners to ensure patients receive safe and timely care, and reschedule appointments, as needed. Persons who have an upcoming medical appointment should call their Primary Care Manager to confirm the appointment date and time.
The health, safety and security of our workforce and families is our top priority. It is critical that each member of this community strictly adheres to practices established by the US Center for Disease Control that have proven effective at containing the spread of COVID-19. This includes simple practices such as maintaining social distancing, washing your hands frequently, and staying home if you feel ill.
For some employees, social distancing is more challenging but measures have been implemented, including staggering shifts, staggering break times, limiting the number/frequency of persons in small/confined spaces, enhanced hygiene/cleaning requirements in work areas and reducing ride-share/vanpool requirements. Additional cleaning measures are also being implemented in common areas and measures are being taken at all gates and truck inspections to limit social contact while maintaining adequate force protection.
