CHINA LAKE, California – Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake (NAWSCL) Branch Health Clinic re-opened today resuming normal hours of operation for mission essential personnel service members and dependents.
Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake was affected by a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, which occurred near NAWSCL and the city of Ridgecrest, Calif., July 5 and a 6.4 magnitude earthquake one day prior.
“The current status of the branch clinic is we’re open for patient care,” said Lt. Cmdr. Henry Bird, Officer in Charge, Branch Health Clinic (BHC) China Lake.” We received some damage to our tele-pharmacy equipment so we can still fill medications, [so that service is] limited. If there are prescriptions that we can’t fill, we are able to transfer prescriptions back into town.”
Even following the 7.1 magnitude earthquake BHC China Lake was open for emergency services to the mission essential personnel working to restore and repair the base.
“Immediately after the earthquake, we set up an aid station,” said Bird. “We were there to accept anyone in need of immediate care.”
Bird spoke of the pride that he had for men and women that he works with and how well they responded in doing what was necessary to restore services immediately following the earthquakes.
“I really have to give credit to our Corpsman and our physicians,” said Bird. “It was basically just instinct for them. They came to the clinic, they were ready for work and they started laying out supplies.”
While BHC China Lake is open and ready to assists with any acute care, there are still a few more repairs necessary before being back to 100 percent.
“Our main thing is we want to get up and running to fully mission capable as quickly as possible,” said Bird. “We’re still working on a couple things with pharmacy and X-Ray. But our number one priority is being there for our patients – and that’s what we’ve been working on from day one.”