[Vision2020] FW: Hurricane medical mess--I've given up

[Saundra Lund]

B. J. and Other Visionaries:

B. J., thanks so much for sharing this!  Dr. Riegle's experience mirrors
what I've been seeing on the news.  Don't ask me which news because I've
been flipping through all the channels -- we have Adelphia digital.  No
doubt some will dispute the reports, but among the laundry list of problems
I keep hearing is "bureaucratic" snafus of the kind Dr. Riegle reports.
Tonight, I heard about a team of first responders who have been moved a
couple of times yet have only treated ***one*** person.

Regardless of where one sits on the political spectrum, the fact that people
have died and are continuing to die from the lack of such basics as drinking
water and medications while qualified volunteers are *unable* to reach those
in need is a clear indicator that the "system" -- be it local, state,
federal, or a combination of some or all of them --  is ***broken***.

In addition to donations, which those of us who are able need to keep making
past the point where it hurts, I think we all need to be demanding a
*critical* examination of what went -- and continues to go -- wrong so that
we can *prevent* it from happening again.  I've already posted that I think
there's plenty of blame to go around so I'd prefer not to address the
"politics," but I do think there must be procedural changes.  For instance,
I do not understand how I could know about the dire circumstances of those
at the Convention Center while FEMA claims to have not known about it!  I
know there are government-types who watch TV & listen to the radio, too!

I sincerely think that trying to play the "blame game" is a waste of time,
but for the sake of ***all*** of us, I do think that we need to look at all
the points where the process broke down so that we can fix it for future
disasters.  It is flatly unacceptable to me as a US citizen that untold
numbers of other US citizens ***died*** following a natural disaster from
the lack of such a basic things as drinking water and medication while
***qualified*** volunteers were/are being turned away.


Saundra Lund
Moscow, ID

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do
nothing.
Edmund Burke

***** Original material contained herein is Copyright 2005, Saundra Lund.
Do not copy, forward, excerpt, or reproduce outside the Vision 2020 forum
without the express written permission of the author.*****




-----Original Message-----
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of B. J. Swanson
Sent: Saturday, September 10, 2005 12:48 AM
To: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] FW: Hurricane medical mess--I've given up

Visionaries,

 

I received this from Elaine Riegle and have permission to share it with you.
Some of you may remember Elaine.  She is an M.D. and was a partner with Dr.
Alvin Frostad in Pullman and Moscow in the 1980's.  She is retired now and
frequently goes on medical missions all over the world.  She has given
volunteer medical assistance in 14 countries including the war zones of
Western Africa where she has been shot at.  She says she's good enough for
all other nations, but not good enough for the USA.  Elaine lives near St.
Louis.  Read on..

 

B. J. Swanson

________________________________

From: Elaine Riegle
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 8:18 AM
To: "Undisclosed-Recipient:;"@socket.net
Subject: Hurricane medical mess--I've given up

 

Hi:

 

I've tried every avenue I can think of to get to the disaster area without
success.  I have found out that the problem is not just with me but with
thousands of medical volunteers throughout the US.  All fields of medical
care are blocked.  My name is in several relief organizations but when I
contacted them, they all had messages saying they were swamped with
volunteers so please do not try and contact them.  One M.D. tried to respond
to the mass notification from the US Dept of Health and Human Services (same
message I received) and actually reached someone.  He was told to watch CNN.
Several have tried to drive to the area and been stopped at the govt borders
and turned away.  Docs have closed down practices, left their homes, and
really tried to get in--no success.  One multi-million dollar mobile
hospital gave up on Louisiana and set up in a deserted Wal-Mart lot in
Mississippi.  I was initially turned away from a 'Disaster Response Team' on
Sept 3, because I didn't have 'clearance'.

 

The part that really bothers me was the report on Channel 4, Ten o'clock
news, last night.  The reporter was interviewing the leader of the "Disaster
Response Team" at the New Orleans Airport.  I didn't get all the numbers,
but something like 20-30 medical personnel are trying to care for over
15,000 people a day.  They have no medicine, I.V's, or relief help.  They
were the instant responders and have been alone since.  This team leader was
saying that they have to see people and immediately make decisions on "live
or not live".  The ones that appear to be dying, are put on a cot and given
a shot of morphine and left to die.  He says they label these people
"Expectant" and move on to the people that seem to have a chance.  He said
30-40 people have been left to die--mostly the old and sick.  The reporter
said = These are people that have survived a hurricane, 9-10 days with no
food, water, or care.  Now they have finally been helicoptered to the
airport.  Now they are labeled "expectant', given morphine, pushed aside and
die.  The team leader said "That's correct".  "We have no medicine,  We have
no IV's"

 

Let your thought go on without further editorializing from me.  This is the
USA.

 

Elaine Riegle

 

Also, look up the CNN report = "Katrina medical help held up by red tape"
and "Mobile hospital up and running".