Gov. Blagojevich sends more Illinois medical personnel to Louisiana to help hurricane victims         

Large number of sick, injured overwhelming medical personnel

[SEPT. 2, 2005]  SPRINGFIELD -- On Thursday, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich directed a 40-person Illinois Medical Emergency Response Team to deploy to Louisiana to assist with massive numbers of sick and injured victims from Hurricane Katrina. This new team will join an 11-member team, which left Wednesday morning, in Baton Rouge. The governor also activated the State Emergency Operations Center to coordinate all state relief efforts to the hurricane-ravaged states.

"Those of us in Illinois can hardly even imagine the emotional and physical toll of this tragedy," Blagojevich said. "Our first medical team arrived yesterday, and we already know that they need more help. Now, 40 more medical professionals are on the way to Springfield and then to Louisiana."

The initial team arrived in Baton Rouge on Wednesday evening and was assigned to a field hospital at the Pete Maravich Arena at Louisiana State University. The hospital already had 220 critically injured and ill patients who were being treated by a few health care providers who lacked the critical care and trauma background of the Illinois team members. One of the Illinois physicians was designated medical director at the field hospital, and a nurse with the team was designated nurse manager of the facility.

The new team being deployed includes 14 registered nurses, 23 advanced life support specialists and three administration personnel. They will join the first team in Baton Rouge. The Illinois medical response team members will be in Louisiana for up to two weeks, at which time a relief staff may be dispatched. The State Emergency Operations Center is gathering food, water and other supplies to help sustain this team, as well as possible future teams, for at least the first seven days of their deployment, due to severe shortages of these necessities in Louisiana.

In addition to deploying the medical response team, Blagojevich mobilized the Illinois National Guard on Wednesday. As many as 300 soldiers and more than 50 military vehicles were mobilizing in Springfield on Thursday to leave Friday morning.

Also, the governor fully activated the State Emergency Operations Center, allowing for continual contact with Louisiana officials through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. The compact is a mutual aid agreement through which states provide assistance to states in need. Illinois officials are constantly reviewing assistance requests and assessing available Illinois assets and personnel.

Blagojevich urged anyone seeking information about loved ones in the hurricane-stricken area who may have physical or mental health problems to contact their local American Red Cross chapter. People wanting to volunteer to assist hurricane victims can call the local Red Cross chapter for information about training opportunities.

This is the latest in the state's efforts to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. Also on Thursday, Blagojevich ordered Illinois public schools to waive residency requirements and enroll any child displaced by Hurricane Katrina who relocates to live with family, friends or in a shelter in Illinois. Hundreds of thousands of children in the Gulf states were displaced by the devastating storm, and many schools may not reopen for months, if not the entire school year. Schools across the state are already accepting children who have been displaced. [See related article.]

On Wednesday, the governor announced that Illinois community college system will accept any students from Illinois who attend college in the Gulf states and need somewhere to continue their education.

[News release from the governor's office]