Since Sept. 24, The US Army Medical Department Activity Fort Jackson (MEDDAC FJ) has been performing the Columbia Federal Coordination Center (FCC) mission of receiving evacuees from areas affected by Hurricane Maria, such as the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. So far, more than 20 patients and attendants (such as family members) have arrived at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport and transported to local area hospitals.
"We met victory Day 1, when we declared we were fully operationally capable in order to fulfill our mission helping those in need," said Columbia FCC Director and MEDDAC FJ Commander COL Eric Edwards.
The Columbia FCC mission is being conducted under the auspices of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) and was initially a joint effort between MEDDAC FJ, the South Carolina Forestry Commission, the Spartanburg Hospital Emergency Response team, the South Carolina State Guard, and several other local, state, and federal agencies and organizations. As of Sept. 30, MEDDAC FJ and US Public Health Service (USPHS) became completely responsible for the mission.
"We serve as a resource and provide assistance to local health authorities in assessing and monitoring the ongoing health and human services needs of medical evacuees and their families", explained LT Tanesha Tutt, USPHS. "This includes working with the MEDDAC FJ staff to update patient information in the Joint Patient Assessment and Tracking System (JPATS and with our community partners to ensure patients and their families are connected and have access to essential services needed to preserve their health and well-being, as well as establish some sense of normalcy."
Currently, other FCC's have been activated in Atlanta, Ga.; Shreveport, La.; and Jackson, Ms. However, FCC Columbia is the Department of Defense staffed FCC to be activated since the NDMS was established.
"This is history in the making, and I could not be prouder of the joint efforts of all the participating agencies that are making this mission successful," Edwards said. "Our nation, the Department of Defense, our interagency partners, Fort Jackson, and the entire state of South Carolina have much to be proud of in the way patients were received and healthcare was delivered."
More than making history though, many of those participating feel the personal impact of the mission. For one Soldier, Spc. Alexander Graham, MEDDAC FJ, it hits especially close to home.
"I'm of Puerto Rican descent, so once I heard there was an opportunity to help out I jumped on it," Graham said. "I even thought my family could be here. Knowing that I would be helping out Puerto Ricans and people from the Caribbean specifically, I wanted to be a part of the mission."
Graham, who has done everything during the mission from set-up and tear-down of medical stations to carrying litters, helping patients off planes, and driving family members to the hospital, did not receive direct contact from his own family in Puerto Rico until a week and a half following the storm.
"Since I've been here there's been many families -- families from Puerto Rico, Saint Thomas, Saint Paul we at least got to touch -- not physically, but at least in their hearts and their minds, and to ease a little of the pain that they've had over the past couple weeks, and that's been the most special thing for me."
For MAJ Karean Troy, FCC Patient Administration Officer, the most impactful aspect of the mission has been helping her fellow Americans in need.
"Sometimes we take for granted the basic things that we have every day. A lot of our patients have been seniors, and a lot of them are displaced from their families, so I think of the hardship they're going through, she said. "Not only are they displaced from their families, but they're coming into a situation where they may have language challenges, and being in a totally different land and needing medical help. We've had some late nights, but I think I would do it all again for free."
Over the course of its operation, the FCC has been visited South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, Regional Health Command-Atlantic Commanding General BG Scott Dingle, and Fort Jackson Commanding General MG Pete Johnson, all of whom have expressed how impressed they are with the mission and offered their continued support.
"Additionally, the influx of every day citizens who were willing to step up and wanted to volunteer their time and resources has been overwhelming," Edwards said.
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