Volunteers Prepare for National Disasters with Mobile Surge Unit in Perry

PERRY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Dozens of volunteers in middle Georgia are preparing themselves in case of a natural disaster hits, and in the event it takes out a hospital, the North Central Health District wanted volunteers to learn how to work a portable one.

In the blink of eye, it can be set up anywhere; nine 40×32 foot tents that can house up to 50 patients in the event of a natural disaster.

Dozens of volunteers from across middle Georgia, worked on setting up a mobile surge unit, what used to be known as a mobile hospital.

“Basic care is pretty easy in there. Anything major, you can’t do x-rays, and you can’t do MRI’s, those things. But basic nursing care, basic medical needs could be met.”

The state has eight of them ready to go in case of emergencies.

Judy McChargue knows first hand.

She was a nurse when a tornado ripped through Americus, Georgia destroying Sumter Regional Hospital in 2007.

McChargue says the mobile surge unit there, helped hundreds of people.

“It gave us a good opportunity to be able to triage people and make sure that any immediate medical attention that needed to happen could happen,” McChargue said.

Laurice Bentley is the Director of Emergency Preparedness at the North Central Health District.

She says regions in the state help each other when disasters happen.

“Basically if there was a disaster here, then folks in this area over here could move over and help them, that could bring their assets to them and help set up,” Bentley said.

The number one goal for volunteers is to have the unit up as quickly as possible.

“We want to save the medical folks as much as possible. They need to conserve their energy because once we get patients, they’re needed for that,” Bentley said.