Doc110 Loc: York PA

Life-Saving Hospital Ship Returns from Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief

Richard Sisk
https://www.defensetech.org/2017/11/24/hospital-ship-puerto-rico-hurricane-relief/

The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort has ended its nearly two-month medical assistance mission in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria and has returned to homeport at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia.

In a statement Friday, the Navy said the Comfort, which left Norfolk on Sept. 29 and arrived off Puerto Rico on Oct. 4, had treated 1,899 patients, performed 191 surgeries, provided 76,000 liters of oxygen and 10 tons of food and water.

The surgeries included 44 general surgical procedures such as hernia repair, gallbladder removal and appendix removal; 25 major orthopedic surgical cases; 17 amputations and 15 urologic procedures.

One of the life-saving surgeries involved the open repair of a ruptured aortic aneurysm, which was the most complex surgery ever performed on a hospital ship, the Navy said.

In addition, the Comfort staff delivered two babies. The first was a baby girl, Sara Victoria Llull Rodriguiz, born on Oct. 14. The second was a baby boy, Isaias Valerio-Fonseca, born on Nov. 3. His father is a Navy veteran, according to a Navy statement.

“The ship’s namesake Comfort was absolutely appropriate for what the crew was able to do, because we weren’t just there to provide medical treatment, we were there for the comfort to the patient’s families,” said Capt. Kevin Robinson, the Comfort’s mission commander.

“We made every effort to bring family member escorts aboard to provide comfort to the patients as well as the family,” Robinson said.

Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico on Sept. 20, knocking out power to the island’s 3.4 million U.S. citizen residents and more than 60 hospitals, and devastating water systems.

Following complaints from local officials, and some in Congress, on the adequacy of the initial relief effort, the Comfort was hurriedly ordered to leave Norfolk and proceed to the island.

“When we first got there, there was no electricity and everything was dark. We were a bright beacon that had power,” said Capt. Roger Gwinn, USNS Comfort’s master, said in a Navy release.

“We met people that hadn’t showered in 8-9 days, hadn’t had a hot meal in the same amount of time, and that made the crew realize what we were dealing with,” Gwinn said.

The return of the Comfort to Norfolk followed on the departures from the area of the amphibious assaults ships Wasp and Kearsarge, and the transport dock Oak Hill, as the military was winding down the relief effort and turning the main recovery work over to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Last week, Army Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan, who had been in charge of the military’s efforts on the island, returned to his command at U.S. Army North.

“I think we’re in the right place to transition” the recovery from the military to Puerto Rican authorities and FEMA, Buchanan said. “We’re out of the emergency phase, but people still need help.”

As of last week, the official death toll on Puerto Rico from Hurricane Marie stood at 55, but local officials fear that the count will rise as the recovery work continues.

Larry the Legend Loc: Not hiding in Milton

Ha! And they laugh at 'preppers'. After Hurricane Wilma hit South Florida back in October of 2005, I literally fed my entire Boynton Beach neighborhood for several days. Not only that, I was the only one who had the foresight to fill my bathtub with water, that I also mostly gave away. The woman living across the street was a 'home help' nurse who ran out of gas, so I loaned her some. I was especially struck by how vulnerable these people were to predictable natural occurrences. Knowing that they'd never survive a real disaster made me pity their lack of foresight. By the way, my house was destroyed in that storm, but that's another story...

Super Dave Loc: Realville, USA

There are "Preppers" and then there are "Crazy People"... How do you tell the difference? The Crazy People didn't give portions of their supplies to their neighbors.

You are an American hero.

son of witless

It sounds as if the Federal government has done it's part.

Super Dave Loc: Realville, USA

And then some.

The PR Government must have knows they were on an island near Hurricane Alley, globes and maps being readily available for some time now. The states and territories have to do their part as well.

But get ready to complain, because no matter how much money is tossed to them (And it will be "Billions and Billions" as Sagan used to say), all you'll hear from the left is a lack of gratitude and shouts of racism, sexism, PRism, any any other 'ism' they can make up.

son of witless

New Orleans was run by an incompetent mayor and Bush got the blame for the fiasco during their Hurricane clean up. History is repeating itself with Puerto Rico. I mean it is in a Hurricane neighborhood. One might surmise that their government would know how to prepare for and clean up after storms. Of course one would be mistaken. Florida and Texas seem to know how to do this. Then again those are not run by Democrats. Just making observations.

Super Dave Loc: Realville, USA

This is true...

Democrats are the party of ungrateful victims and whiners.

Larry the Legend Loc: Not hiding in Milton

Easy there, big guy. I get your differentiation but understand, had my neighbors taken the same modest precautions as I did, they would all have been well provisioned and sitting pretty instead of needing to sponge off someone else to survive. Had the situation actually been a real disaster, the kind that lasts months or years, then I would have been one of your 'Crazy People' too, and they would probably have starved or been shot trying to steal a meal.

Super Dave Loc: Realville, USA

And that's not what I meant by "Crazy People".... The "Crazy People" treat every power outage like the Zombie Apocalypse.

I'm not nearly as prepped as I should be, but better than most, I suppose. The older we get, the better we need to prepare. Youth is resilient, but wisdom and planning reduce the need for resiliency.

Larry the Legend Loc: Not hiding in Milton

It does seem that there might be something of a correlation between hurricane (or disaster in general) preparedness and political leadership. Could it be that States ran by Democrat legislatures are just not so well prepared for the inevitable? Bear in mind, if you live in the southern United States, the Eastern Seaboard or anywhere in the Caribbean, you are guaranteed to see a hurricane at some point. Maybe they just get more of them and don't have time in the interim to replenish stocks before the next one hits? Maybe they need to elect a Republican legislature so there won't be as many. God works in mysterious ways.....

son of witless

Puerto Rico under the Democrats was a basket case before the Hurricane. They taxes the businesses off of the Island and gave the government employees pensions they had no chance of paying. Typical Democrat economics.

Super Dave Loc: Realville, USA

That's why children can't be expected to do adult jobs.

Larry the Legend Loc: Not hiding in Milton

Didn't they get bailed out by Obama, what, sometime last year? I do remember this:

http://money.cnn.com/2016/02/25/investing/puerto-rico-federal-control-board/index.html

Mollie

I want to thank Captain Kevin Robinson and the crew aboard the USNS Comfort for their care and support to the people of Puerto Rico. They have truly been a beacon of light and hope to those in need. Thank you with all my heart.

son of witless

All I know is not to buy Puerto Rico's bonds. How Wall Street could continue to lend them money as their situation got worse is beyond me. The voters of Puerto Rico kept electing fools and liars to rule them. I am sure a large minority knew better, tried to stop them , and were just out voted by the sheeple.