Healthcare workers preparing for natural disasters

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - Multiple healthcare providers met Monday in Jonesboro to prepare for the next natural disaster in the Natural State.

The Northeast Arkansas Healthcare Coalition met at St. Bernards Auditorium to discuss their plans of action and prepare its 20-person field hospital that can respond at a moment’s notice to natural disasters across the state.

“We’re going through and making sure all the equipment is working and that we have the same equipment that was purchased for the three other hospitals that are positioned in the state,” NEAHC Readiness and Response Coordinator Karla Davis said.

Providers from as far away as Blytheville, Piggott, and Mountain Home attended the meeting at St. Bernards Auditorium.

“We had over 50 participants from hospitals in healthcare facilities in the North Central and Northeast regions in Arkansas,” Davis said.

If a large disaster strikes the state, other coalitions in the state can join together to create a much larger remote hospital.

“In the event that we have a disaster that should damage one of our hospitals or other healthcare facilities, we could utilize this 20-bed hospital along with the three others in the state to set up a total 80-bed mobile hospital if needed,” Davis explained.

NEAHC, along with the other agencies in the state, say they are prepared should disaster strike.

“We are very prepared, and we are very lucky and resilient in Northeast Arkansas, and that’s something that I’m proud of,” Davis added.

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