Media Release
More Than 1,000 Chuukese Receive Free Medical Treatment as the U.S. Evaluates Medical Disaster Relief Unit
September 17, 2009
From September 2-6, the United States Air Force (USAF) Humanitarian Assistance Rapid Response Team (HARRT) conducted a test-run of its mobile hospital unit at Anderson Field in Weno, Chuuk. The HARRT is the United States Pacific Command (USPACOM) team that provides rapid disaster assistance and supplements local medical relief efforts. At full operational capacity, the HARRT is equipped to offer primary and preventative care to 350-500 patients per day for 5 days without resupply.
After erecting the mobile hospital unit September 2, the fifty four members of the HARRT commenced medical relief efforts the following day. On September 6, numerous distinguished U.S. Air Force and Navy officials arrived in Chuuk and joined Her Excellency U.S. Ambassador Miriam K. Hughes and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Office of Foreign Disaster Response (OFDA) Disaster Relief Coordinator Bart Deemer for a briefing on USAID’s role in the FSM and the HARRT mission. The HARRT commanding team, USAF 13th Air Forces Command Surgeon Colonel Wayne Pritt (Hickam AFB), Air Combat Command Surgeon Colonel Kory Cornum (Langley AFB), and 36th Contingency Response Group Commander Colonel Daniel Settergren (Andersen AFB), led a group that included many medical professionals from Chuuk State Hospital through the primary medical facility, highlighting the medical unit’s triage, consultation, and pharmacy capabilities.
While torrential rains challenged the medical facility’s efforts, Colonel Pritt noted that “the best way to validate the HARRT’s capability is to test it in realistic conditions.” In addition to a performance assessment, Colonel Cornum called the mission a civil military activity that enables “medics to feel good when they see smiling faces.” Medical personnel treated over 1,000 patients, with the Chuuk Women’s Counsel distributing approximately 4,000 doses of deworming medication.
Department of Defense officials selected Chuuk State as the HARRT test-run site for its underserved population and high risk for weather-related disasters. Although the medical facility was a Pacific initiative, the HARRT has a worldwide disaster response capability.
Distinguished military officials included Major General Thomas Loftus, USAF Assistant Surgeon General for Health Care Operations; Major General Douglas Owens, USAF Pacific Air Forces Vice Commander; Rear Admiral Michael Anderson, United States Navy (USN) Pacific Command Surgeon General; Brigadier General Philip Ruhlman, USAF Commander 36th Wing Guam; Captain Colin Chin, USN Marine Corps Forces Pacific (MARFORPAC) Surgeon; Colonel Kory Cornum, USAF Air Combat Command Surgeon; Colonel Robert Harter, USPACOM Deputy J35 for Civil-Military Operations; Captain David Miller, USNH Commander Andersen AFB; Colonel Sean Murphy, USAF Pacific Air Forces Command Surgeon; and Colonel Timothy Robinette, USAF 374th Medical Group Commander Yokota AB.
Representatives from the FSM National Government included Department of Health and Social Services Secretary Vida Akapito Skilling, Senator Roger Mori of Chuuk, and Deputy Disaster Coordinator Oleen Peter. Chuuk State officials included Governor Wesley Simina and the First Lady, House of Representatives Speaker Florencio Harper, and the Governor’s Chief of Staff Wilfred Robert.