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Transit of medical patients from American Samoa achieved by FEMA and U.S. military collaboration

By U.S. Army Pacific Public AffairsJune 11, 2020

Nineteen patients from American Samoa requiring non-COVID-19 related medical care and 13 escorts arrived June 9 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii on a U.S. Navy C-40 flight as part of a Federal Emergency Management Agency support mission. Military air was the only option for transporting passengers due to the suspension of commercial passenger flights to American Samoa from March 26 until June 30, 2020. At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. military, under its Defense Support of Civil Authorities mission set, enabled this group of medical patients to finally access the health care that they needed. This is in keeping with the DSCA tenets of saving lives and mitigating human suffering during declared emergencies.
1 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Nineteen patients from American Samoa requiring non-COVID-19 related medical care and 13 escorts arrived June 9 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii on a U.S. Navy C-40 flight as part of a Federal Emergency Management Agency support mission. Military air was the only option for transporting passengers due to the suspension of commercial passenger flights to American Samoa from March 26 until June 30, 2020. At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. military, under its Defense Support of Civil Authorities mission set, enabled this group of medical patients to finally access the health care that they needed. This is in keeping with the DSCA tenets of saving lives and mitigating human suffering during declared emergencies. (Photo Credit: Maj. Melodie Tafao, 9th Mission Support Command) VIEW ORIGINAL
Members from the U.S. Army's 44th Medical Brigade's, First Area Medical Laboratory team, Officer in Charge, Maj. Michael Keebaugh (left), Sgt. Stephen Riddick (center) and Spc. Morgen Little was deployed to American Samoa to enhance the efficiency and capacity of COVID-19 testing in the American territory. AML team returned on the U.S. Navy C-40, June 9 to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. Military air was the only option for transporting passengers due to the suspension of commercial passenger flights to American Samoa from March 26 until June 30, 2020.
2 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Members from the U.S. Army's 44th Medical Brigade's, First Area Medical Laboratory team, Officer in Charge, Maj. Michael Keebaugh (left), Sgt. Stephen Riddick (center) and Spc. Morgen Little was deployed to American Samoa to enhance the efficiency and capacity of COVID-19 testing in the American territory. AML team returned on the U.S. Navy C-40, June 9 to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. Military air was the only option for transporting passengers due to the suspension of commercial passenger flights to American Samoa from March 26 until June 30, 2020. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Nineteen patients from American Samoa requiring non-COVID-19 related medical care and 13 escorts arrived June 9 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii on a U.S. Navy C-40 flight as part of a Federal Emergency Management Agency support mission. Military air was the only option for transporting passengers due to the suspension of commercial passenger flights to American Samoa from March 26 until June 30, 2020. At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. military, under its Defense Support of Civil Authorities mission set, enabled this group of medical patients to finally access the health care that they needed. This is in keeping with the DSCA tenets of saving lives and mitigating human suffering during declared emergencies.
3 / 3 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Nineteen patients from American Samoa requiring non-COVID-19 related medical care and 13 escorts arrived June 9 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii on a U.S. Navy C-40 flight as part of a Federal Emergency Management Agency support mission. Military air was the only option for transporting passengers due to the suspension of commercial passenger flights to American Samoa from March 26 until June 30, 2020. At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. military, under its Defense Support of Civil Authorities mission set, enabled this group of medical patients to finally access the health care that they needed. This is in keeping with the DSCA tenets of saving lives and mitigating human suffering during declared emergencies. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Nineteen patients from American Samoa requiring non-COVID-19 related medical care and 13 escorts arrived June 9 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii on a U.S. Navy C-40 flight as part of a Federal Emergency Management Agency support mission.

At the request of FEMA, the U.S. military, under its Defense Support of Civil Authorities role, enabled this group of medical patients, many elderly, to access the health care they needed. This is in keeping with the DSCA tenets of saving lives and mitigating human suffering during declared emergencies.

"Personally, it was good to be able to make a positive contribution towards alleviating the difficulties being experienced by my fellow Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Navy Capt., David Lum, emergency preparedness liaison for COVID-19 response in Hawaii and American Samoa.

A total of 47 passengers were on the flight including members of the 44th Medical Brigade's, First Area Medical Laboratory, who were serving in American Samoa as part of the FEMA support mission and providing expertise and the critical lab equipment for additional COVID-19 testing capability.

Military air was the only option for transporting passengers due to the suspension of commercial passenger flights to American Samoa from March 26 until June 30, 2020.

The flight was the result of a strong collaborative effort between the Joint military forces in the Pacific, FEMA, and the Government of American Samoa, according to Lum.

The original outbound flight from Hawaii brought back Representative Amata C. Radewagen of the U.S. House of Representatives to American Samoa.

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