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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 7, 2007
No. 07-096
KANSAS NATIONAL GUARD EMEDS FACILITY SERVING MEDICAL NEEDS OF GREENSBURG
More than 60 people treated since May 21 opening of facility in Greensburg

“It’s been a God-send.”
That is Kiowa County Memorial Hospital administrator Mary Sweet’s opinion of the Kansas National Guard’s Expeditionary Medical Support System hospital sent to the town of Greensburg to provide space and equipment for medical services to the tornado-ravaged town.
Since the EMEDS opened in Greensburg May 21, approximately 60 people have received treatment. The EMEDS arrived in the town May 12 and was established on Highway 54 across from the Greensburg John Deere dealership.
Sweet said good medical care is vital to the support of a town and she credits the EMEDS facility with providing stability to the community and helping it to rebound so quickly.
“I have 99 employees at the hospital,” said Sweet. “Probably a third of them are medical professionals that would not be able find work elsewhere in the community. This facility allows them to stay in Greensburg.”
In the days following the May 4 tornado, the community leaders and citizens discussed their options – whether to stay and rebuild the town or move on. “How do we go forward?” said Sweet. “That was the question. This (EMEDS) was a big step forward for a lot of people in deciding to stay and rebuild.”
“Kansas is currently the only state in the country to have a homeland security deployable EMEDS facility and when we saw the needs in Greensburg we determined this was a perfect place to use this tremendous National Guard resource,” said Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, the adjutant general. “While we never want something like this to happen to any community, it’s gratifying to know that our Guard members were able to help people in need with the EMEDS as well as debris removal, security, generators and other resources.”
This is the second time the Kansas EMEDS has been used in a U.S. disaster response. It was also deployed to assist in the response and recovery efforts following Hurricane Katrina.
“While we always hope that disasters like the Greensburg tornado never happen, the reality is that they do. This is why the 190th’s EMEDS mission is so vitally important to our state and nation,” said Col. Gregg Burden, 190th Air Refueling Wing Commander.
The emergency room is currently the primary section of the hospital that is operational.
“It’s been about 40 percent work-related injuries,” said Vanessa Kirk, nursing supervisor. “About 40 percent have been in for cough and congestion and about 20 percent have been for major medical reasons, such as heart attacks and accidents.”
Kirk said the hospital’s clinic is scheduled to open July 1 and the laboratory facility is also being prepared.
Because the facility will be used long-term until a new hospital can be built, Sweet said that the hospital employees are “making it their own.”
“We can’t say ‘Thank you’ enough to the National Guard for providing this,” said Sweet.
The EMEDS is based out of the 190th Air Refueling Wing in Topeka. The 190th ARW is the only organization in the country currently with an EMEDS dedicated to homeland security and will be the central location for all EMEDS logistic support throughout the United States.
In the first month since the tornado, nearly 600 missions have been tasked to assist Greensburg with personnel and equipment from local and state agencies from throughout Kansas, including the National Guard. The Kansas Guard presence increased to more than 500 troops by May 9, then troops and equipment were gradually withdrawn as other resources became available to assist the community. Currently, approximately 40 troops are continuing to assist with debris removal work.


Full press release available in PDF