POW Sets Up a Metropolitan Medical Response System

Photo Courtesy of Mank and POCOC

Stacey Mank, RN, Craig Public Health Phone: 907-826-3433:

Prince of Wales Island maintains a Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS). The MMRS is an operational system for the local level to respond to a health emergency that involves mass casualties or casualties requiring unique care capabilities. A joint decision was made between Southeast Regional EMS, Craig Public Health Clinic, PeaceHealth, and SEARHC Alicia Roberts Medical Clinic (ARMC) to set up the MMRS medical tent outside of ARMC.

The MMRS medical tent was set up despite not having any confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Prince of Wales Island. The tent will likely be used in one of two ways: 1) Provide shelter to staff and supplies in the need for a drive-thru specimen collection site. 2) Medical over-flow in the case of a surge of positive COVID-19 patients needing to be hospitalized and unable to be transported off of the island. Local health care agencies are hopeful that community mitigation practices, such as social distancing, good hygiene practices, “hunkering down”, and travel mandates will prevent us from having to use the tent at all.

The MMRS tent and supplies are housed in Thorne Bay and maintained by the City of Thorne Bay. The Kasaan VPSO and Hydaburg VPSO assisted in moving the tent trailer across the island while AML graciously agreed to move the supply conex. The city of Craig provided space for the tent to be cleaned prior to being set up. Multiple agencies assisted in setting up the tent, including: Alicia Roberts Medical Center, Southeast Regional EMS, Craig Public Health, Alaska State Troopers, City of Klawock, Klawock Fire/EMS, City of Craig, and Craig EMS. Thank you to all who were involved!

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