USNS Comfort Responds to Hospital-Generator Failure in Puerto Rico

[nitpicker]

http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=102741

USNS Comfort Responds to Hospital-Generator Failure in Puerto Rico

Story Number: NNS171005-11Release Date: 10/5/2017 12:22:00 PM

By Lt. j.g. Samuel R. Boyle, USNS Comfort (T-AH 20)

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (NNS) -- The Mercy-class Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, received five critical patients around 8 p.m. Oct. 4, from Ryder Memorial Hospital in Humacao, Puerto Rico, after its generator failed. The possibility of hospitals in Puerto Rico failing due to running on emergency generators for extended lengths of time had been planned for by Comfort, the Federal Emergency Management System (FEMA) and other Federal and local agencies.

Patients were medevaced by the Sea Knights of Navy Helicopter Sea Squadron (HSC) 22 and Army Blackhawks. "Working with the Army and the Hospital, we were able to reduce transport times for critically ill patients," said Lt. Cmdr. Christopher "Harm" Perry, a dual-designated emergency physician and naval aviator aboard Comfort who landed the MH-60S with patients. "This is the mission we have all been training for." The Army Blackhawks, who are scheduled to conduct day landing qualifications on Comfort, transferred patients to the Sea Knights at a nearby landing zone in San Juan.

Comfort is part of the whole-of-government response effort and is assisting FEMA, the lead federal agency, in helping those affected by Hurricane Maria.
(snip)

((This implies that the Comfort may be at anchor instead of docked.))

[Kaleva]

1. This article says the ship has treated patients from age 6 mo. to 89

"The Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort also arrived Wednesday in San Juan and treated 69 patients from 6 months to 89 years old, spokesman Lt. Cmdr. David Lloyd said in an email. Cases ranged from wounds to hernia to heart failure and pneumonia, he said. The ship began moving to a north-central area of Puerto Rico on Thursday, he said."

https://pilotonline.com/news/military/local/after-weeks-of-hurricane-relief-missions-crews-aboard-uss-kearsarge/article_ab8df533-3026-5ed5-aaa1-74148746b7e9.html