Charlotte Medical Teams Fly to Texas to Help Evacuate Hospital Patients

CHARLOTTE, NC – “It’s probably the most humbling experience you’ll ever do,” explains paramedic Shelly O’Day.

She’s on her way to Texas.

For the next several days, she’ll be part of a medical flight team evacuating the most vulnerable patients out of the Houston area.

“Sometimes the hospital loses power, they deplete their oxygen sources and patients have to be moved,” she explains.

Carolinas HealthCare System is working with FEMA to send eight medical crews and two planes.

“It’s helping patients that are in the most critical need,” O’Day says.

The planes are essentially a flying ICU with critical-care nurses on board.

“Two sets of crews, two airplanes, so that eight pilots, eight medical crews, plus all the medical care and equipment that goes with it to support the patient care,” explains Jason Schwebach, CHS Vice-President of Mobile Medicine.

He says 26 hospitals in the region are evacuated, meaning there’s a substantial need.

“We have the capability to fly pediatric, neonatal patients, in addition to adult patents, and so that’s why they asked us to help them,” he says.

Houston airports are closed. So the two CHS planes will fly into Temple, Texas and stage from there.

A third plane is carrying supplies.

O’Day says she’s grateful for the opportunity to help.

“Sometimes, patients.. they’ve lost everything. So personally the hardest thing for me is transporting a patient and their family not even know where they’re at,” she says.