Photo By Staff Sgt. Tegan Kucera | Guardsmen from Joint Task Force Griffin stock shelves with personal protective...... read more read more
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LANSING, Mich. – A community in need is what the National Guard is there for, whether it’s to provide aid after a natural disaster, or helping out during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Joint Task Force Griffin is a combined effort of all the medical professional Soldiers and Airmen within the Michigan National Guard who are assisting their neighbors during this emergency by providing medical support across the state to help treat those who have the coronavirus.
“We are seeing everyone coming together and working through the challenges to provide the best possible care for patients as we work through the response to COVID-19,” said Maj. Andrea Kennedy, the commander of the 1171st Medical Company, Area Support.
Kennedy is working in the JTF headquarters and is coordinating all the different missions that the dozens of Guardsmen in the task force are taking part in. They are at the TCF Regional Care Center in Detroit, and the alternate care facility at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi.
“All these different groups come together in a really great way to figure out the best method for staffing and providing around-the-clock care for the patients in the facility,” said Kennedy.
Every one of the Guardsmen who were not already aiding the effort in their civilian jobs are helping to fill in the gaps that are open. These openings are there because the alternate care facilities are a combination of personnel from many different hospitals and agencies who are working around the clock to take care of the community.
“Whatever the community needs, JTF Griffin is stepping in to provide,” said Kennedy.
The TCF Center has been converted to a Regional Care Center and opened to receive patients on April 10. Kennedy was working there to help facilitate the operation before JTF Griffin stood up.
“It is really an awe inspiring process to watch people build a hospital from an empty space, and turn it into a facility capable of housing up to 1,000 patients,” said Kennedy.
Now the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Michigan is being converted to a hospital space for up to 250 patients within the next week.
“It’s a center to free up the hospital space for the patients who still need care and to be monitored but don’t need to be on a ventilator,” said 1st Lt. Emma Smith, a medical logistics officer with the 1171st MCAS.
Smith is helping to assemble the new alternate care facility in in her community of Novi. She is thankful to be doing what she can to help her fellow Michiganders.
“To actually be part of it is truly a remarkable experience,” said Smith. “I tell my Soldiers to take this to heart because it will probably be their only chance to be part of a state mission like this.”
Griffin is a joint task force because it combines medical professionals from the Army and Air National Guard working together with the civilian doctors and nurses who are from parts of the state that have been less impacted by the coronavirus.
“It’s eye opening how quickly we can integrate in an emergency,” said Tech. Sgt. Charles Sweeney, a medic with the 110th Wing Medical Group.
Sweeney is new to the Michigan Air National Guard and to the medical profession. He was previously an emergency manager for eight years with the active duty Air Force. His perspective has changed after seeing things up close.
“I was expecting what you see on TV with the crazy chaos,” said Sweeney, who is working in the TCF Center. “It’s not like that. It’s very organized and the patients are very glad we’re there.”
Sweeney likes the medical field so much that on the civilian side he has gone back to school to join the nursing field. He likes being able to offer care to the residents of Michigan.
“I look forward to when they (the patients) go home, because I’m happy for them that they are moving on,” said Sweeney.
The pandemic has reaffirmed Sweeney’s decision to join the medical field in the National Guard. He enjoys interacting with the patients. He said it made his day when one patient lit up with recognition, even though he doesn’t recognize himself under all the personal protective equipment he needs to wear to be safe and prevent contamination.
“As someone who joined the Michigan Air National Guard to help my community, this is the epitome of everything I wanted to do,” said Sweeney.
JTF Griffin is a team of Guardsmen who are fulfilling a very special role within the state. They are there to help provide assistance to alternate care facilities and to fill in the gaps where needed. (Story by Michigan Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Tegan Kucera)
| Date Taken: | 04.22.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 04.22.2020 16:51 |
| Story ID: | 368176 |
| Location: | LANSING , MICHIGAN, US |
| Web Views: | 147 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Helping by filling in the gaps, by SSG Tegan Kucera, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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