Photo By Staff Sgt. Kimberly Mianecki | Sean Parnell, Governor of Alaska, visits the Palmer Fairgrounds 50 years after the...... read more read more
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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell visited the Palmer Fairgrounds yesterday, 50 years after the Great Alaska earthquake of 1964, to view the Alaska National Guard Medical Detachment, the Alaska Department of Health, and other organizations providing medical aid to more than 75 injured role-players during Exercises Alaska Shield and Vigilant Guard - Alaska 2014.
“It is so important because in a disaster — just like in life — it is about people; and when these teams are working well together, more people are saved; more people can recover faster, and communities can too,” Parnell said.
Local volunteers attended the event playing the role of injured civilians to test the response capabilities of the organizations working together.
“I think the civilians coming in will be really proud to see us working together because they can see their National Guard isn’t just a part of the Army, it is a part of its citizens,” said Staff Sgt. Michele Weinheimer, a medic with the Medical Detachment.
The medical detachment’s mission is to work closely with civilian agencies and be ready to provide medical assistance to citizens after a natural disaster.
The medical team and local agencies were able to set up their field hospital and begin processing patients within a 12-hour period. Surgeons, nurses and counselors were on hand to provide aid to the multitude of injuries introduced to them, closely relating to natural disaster scenarios.
“That is what we need in the time of disaster — great coordination, communication and great partners — and we have them,” said Parnell.
| Date Taken: | 03.28.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 03.29.2014 18:25 |
| Story ID: | 123199 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, AK, US |
| Web Views: | 155 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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