Deployment
Event
Kosovo Refugee Response - Fort
Dix, NJ.
Deployed
Members
Paramedic
Pharmacist
Physician
Deployment
History
On May 18. 1999, Dr. Wade Smith, one of our team
physicians was deployed to Fort Dix, NJ for thirteen days to assist with
the medical care of refugees from Kosovo. Wade returned on the 26th
with may stories and adventures. Wade is our newest physician on
the team and is a second year E.R. resident at Wright State University
here in Dayton.
In addition, Kenna, one of our Medical Records specialist
is scheduled for deployment June 6 through June 14. Phil, one of
our Paramedics was also assigned duty in earlyl July.
Dr. Smith arrived just as
the lead physician for the camp was leaving. Since Dr. Smith would
be there quite a bit longer than the other physicians already there, he
was assigned the duty of lead physician.
The first day saw around 45 patients, but
almost triple that the next. The medical station was constructed
quickly with dry-wall, in an unused mess hall at the base. Within
a few days a secondary camp was established with over 500 refugees in residence.
As a result a second medical station was established and manned by PA and
nurses. Most medical issues were small problems. Many problems
were solved by placing the patients back on medications they had used but
could no longer obtain due to the conflict in Kosavo. By the
end of June there were over 4000 refugees that had been flown in to Fort
Dix.
Dr. Smith spoke with one Kosavo lady who
had been beaten with a rifle butt, breaking her hip. Amazingly, she
continued to hike out of the mountains with a broken hip to safety.
Photos
Typical patient bed area at the clinic. Supplies were close at
hand.
Here Dr. Smith practices his patient interaction skills.
Dr. Scott - USPHS (at left), Dr. Smith - OH-5, Dr. Spotts - CA-2, and
Davis, EMT at the McGuire Air Force Base.
Arriving refugees are off-loaded from the arriving aircraft at McGuire
Air force Base..
Dr. Smith is given a departure cake at Fort Dix baked by friends from
NJ-1.
MST Commo, Sparky appears to be first in line.
The caption on the cake "We will miss you" sums it up.
Related Links
Caring
for Refugees in America
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