In case of an emergency, this medical group is equipped to assist Hawaii hospitals

AIEA, OAHU (HawaiiNewsNow) - In an emergency, Hawaii Healthcare Emergency Management has teams of doctors, nurses and medical personnel that can assist hospitals and care centers.

"Wherever we're needed, and if there's a request coming in, we try to meet that need," said Chris Crabtree, director of Hawaii Healthcare Emergency Management.

The group's Halawa warehouse is stocked with medical supplies, hospital cots and life-saving equipment that can be rapidly deployed.

There are also 110 medical experts on standby, ready to respond to a state or county disaster, like Tropical Storm Lane.

"You don't know how it's going to affect the different islands," Crabtree said. "We have home health, hospice, we have long-term care facilities on the islands, hospitals ... and people rely on those."

The group can also supplement staff at shorthanded hospitals, treat patients at evacuation centers, and work out of a mobile clinic — like it did during April's historic flooding on Kauai.

"Kauai is unique because we never had set up a clinic like we did on Kauai when that North Shore community was isolated," Crabtree said.

If Hawaii Healthcare needs help during Lane, it has backup from the federal government.

"Fortunately, in this case we actually have a federal agency that has sent two teams here, 30 people on each team, with resources to help support establishing medical facilities if need be," said Bruce Anderson, director of the State Health Department.

Hawaii Healthcare also stocks medications in case hospitals run low.

"I can tell you for this storm, I've had Nevada and other states and their ... healthcare associations contact me and tell me that they are willing to do whatever it takes to support us if it's needed," Crabtree said.

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