Weekly update on Washington National Guard COVID-19 relief efforts-2107281

CAMP MURRAY, WA, UNITED STATES

07.28.2021

Story by Sgt. Adeline Witherspoon      

122nd Theater Public Affairs Support Element

Release No. 2107281

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CAMP MURRAY, Wash. – Joint Task Force Steelhead, the Washington National Guard’s COVID-19 response force, continued to provide community support in the form of food distribution. In order to meet the changing needs of our state and our communities, we have concluded our mission in support of the Washington State Department of Health, marking another milestone in the fight against COVID-19. JTF Steelhead is continuing the gradual reconsolidation of our service members for demobilization.

During the week of July 19 - July 25, 2021, the follow actions happened:

• 280,690 pounds of food and 5,223 meals were packaged and distributed by National Guard service members.
JTF Steelhead supported 22 food banks and distribution centers across the state. Since April 2020, we have helped package and distribute more than 98.5 million pounds of food and over 6.4 million meals at 79 locations throughout Washington State. The Washington National Guard has continued to support the Washington State Department of Agriculture and community food banks to help alleviate food insecurity caused by the effects of COVID-19, until otherwise directed

Key Events during the week of July 19-25, 2021:

• At the direction of the Washington State Department of Health, JTF Steelhead demobilized two mobile vaccination teams on July 20. The mobile teams, supporting Spokane and Benton counties, were the last National Guard assets operating on behalf of the state health department. Since January of 2021, the JTF Steelhead mobile teams have provided vaccination services to remote and under-served communities in the state.

• The Washington National Guard’s Medical Surge team ceased operations at a Washington State Department of Health isolation & quarantine site in Lewis County, on July 20. The MedSurge team, a component of JTF Steelhead, has supported state and local entities by providing medical equipment, healthcare, and isolation and quarantine services to patients affected by COVID-19.

• Gen. Daniel Hokanson, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, paid a visit to Camp Murray on July 20, during a tour of the Pacific Northwest that included stops in Idaho and Oregon. Hokanson was briefed on current, and future, Washington National Guard training and support operations. After the briefing, Hokanson addressed senior and junior service members, covering several topics to include the JTF Steelhead COVID-19 response, physical fitness training, promotion, and manning issues.

Since Gov. Jay Inslee’s emergency declaration in March of 2020, JTF Steelhead has assembled nearly 450,000 COVID-19 test kits, tested over 75,000 Washington residents, and administered nearly 260,000 COVID-19 vaccines. The MedSurge team has provided 661 ventilators, and isolation and quarantine services to nearly 260 patients.

The Washington National Guard, and JTF Steelhead, is proud to serve our communities by supporting state and county emergency managers in unified efforts during the COVID-19 response.

For additional questions please contact the JTF Steelhead Public Affairs Office at [e-mail] or call 253-512-4861.

• Date Taken: 07.28.2021
• Date Posted: 08.02.2021 11:13
• Story ID: 402223
• Location: CAMP MURRAY, WA, US