As part of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), Atlanta VA staff provided much needed medical support to Hurricane Maria evacuees at Dobbins Air Reserve Base over the weekend.
“Our primary function as a Federal Coordinating Center is to receive, assess and place hurricane victims in appropriate medical facilities in the surrounding communities,” said Joe Jenkins, Atlanta VA Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. “So far, we have facilitated the placement of 73 patients at participating hospitals.
Jenkins noted that good working relationships, coordination and communication are essential to successful FCC operations and how the Atlanta VA has benefited from the experience of previous FCC missions, most notably Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
“The VA’s fourth mission is to provide emergency management support and our current FCC operation will continue until further notice,” Jenkins said.