Witness to disaster
Fayette EMS paramedic Jason Hayes had seen the televised scenes of the devastation of the Gulf Coast region, but the reality of the destruction incurred by the area’s residents hadn’t hit home until this week, when he had the opportunity to hear their stories. “It’s so sad; they’ve lost everything,” he said as he prepared for his second 12-hour shift at the Cajun Dome on the Louisiana State University Campus. “They have absolutely nothing.”
Hayes, paramedic Jason Bartholomai and emergency medical technicians Richard Cole and Jay Speeny are members of the Pennsylvania Ambulance Strike Team providing assistance in the region.
At the Cajun Dome, said Hayes, are approximately 5,000 to 6,000 evacuees from the hardest hit areas in Louisiana, including New Orleans and Lake Charles. The team provides any needed emergency medical care or transportation to local hospitals.
Despite the close quarters at the facility, Hayes said those sheltered there remain very upbeat and grateful for any assistance provided by the team or the American Red Cross that is overseeing the operation of the site.
“Initially, I thought it was going to be a bad situation with so many people living there,” he said.
“I didn’t think there would be any security, but the military is here and the Lafayette Metro Police are here. It is a very secure area with metal detectors (utilized) going in and out.”
During his shifts, Hayes said that the crews have been “very busy” with patients suffering chest pains and many that have been without daily medications, struggling with other problems.
“(The Red Cross) has been able to set up a makeshift pharmacy, but some of these folks have gone without medications for a long time,” he said.
The local first responders have distributed most of the stuffed animals donated last month to FEMS by area school children, organizations and businesses as they prepared for the mission.
The youngsters that received the toys, said Hayes, “were very grateful.” The ones bearing messages written by Dunbar Borough Elementary first-grade students of Elaine Evancheck were among the favorites.
“They loved them,” he added.
At another Louisiana shelter, Rick Adobato, Fayette EMS director of operations, Mon Valley EMS paramedics and emergency medical technicians are transporting patients, providing care and learning the Louisiana-area roadways as they complete their first mission in the hurricane-ravaged area.
“It’s organized chaos,” said Adobato of his deployment to the former England Air Force Base in Alexandria, La., five weeks after Hurricane Katrina ripped through the Gulf Coast region.
For 72 hours, Adobato and the Mon Valley responders transported elderly evacuees who had been moved from Lake Charles and New Orleans to the military base to Alexandria hospitals for treatment. Their former residences, including assisted care facilities, were no longer able to provide adequate care.
“They are very confused and scared,” he said. “They don’t understand why they are here.”
Physicians and nurses from around the country are now caring for the nearly 200 patients at the former military base.
“(The medical personnel) are members of various task forces similar to (the strike team), but they are here for a 30-day deployment,” said Adobato.
The strike team continues to have difficulty finding diesel fuel for their ambulances as well as with navigating the unfamiliar roadways.
“Right now we’re using the main roadways, but I’m sure there are quicker routes; we’ll probably figure those out by the time we’re ready to leave,” he said.
Richard Smith, assistant director for the Rapides Parish Office of Homeland Security/Emergency Preparedness, said the area is grateful for the assistance being provided by the Pennsylvania first responders and other agencies and individuals from across the country and those overseas.
“It has been a tremendous outpouring,” said Smith.
Rapides Parish encompasses Alexandria, which in most cases serves as a shelter community during times of hurricanes because it seldom incurs storm damage due to its location.
In August, when Hurricane Katrina struck the Louisiana coastal region, Smith said the Alexandria population soared by 15,000. The evacuees stayed in American Red Cross shelters, available hotels and with churches and individuals hosting others.
“We were down to about 2,000 (evacuees) when Hurricane Rita struck and the population went back up again,” said Smith.
This time, those that who offered shelter also became a community in need as the damaging storm reached inland.
“We were without power or water for three days; the fire departments couldn’t fight a fire if they had to,” said Smith.
The parish has now become home to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) personnel and the U.S. Coast Guard 350-member command.
The influx of federal, military and volunteer agencies, along with countless evacuees, has caused long lines at service stations, grocery stores and traffic lights, said Smith, but will ease as time passes.
“In some cases, the people (now staying at the former air base) are going to be able to go back in a month or so after their (nursing home) facilities have been cleaned up; others won’t be able to go back because there is nothing there and no plans to rebuild,” said Smith.
In the interim, he added, the assistance offered by Fayette EMS and other members of the strike team are welcome.
“We very much appreciate all the help,” Smith said.