Military Medical Personnel Deploy to Strong Memorial Hospital

In a significant move to support the healthcare system during the ongoing COVID-19 surge, the U.S. Air Force has deployed a team of Military Medical Teams (MMTs) to UR Medicine's Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York.

Lt. Col. Allan Delgado, a Family and Aerospace Medicine Nurse Practitioner with the U.S. Air Force, expressed his excitement about supporting Strong Memorial Hospital, stating that the Air Force team is proud and grateful to support FEMA and the state of New York.

The deployment, part of the Defense Department's ongoing COVID response operations to support FEMA and New York State, began on Saturday, with approximately 40 clinical personnel and support staff from the Air Force arriving at the hospital.

These MMTs consist of physicians, medical-surgical nurses, respiratory therapists, medical technicians, and support staff, and will begin service in medical-surgical, alternative level of care, and other units in the hospital starting this week.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced ten days ago that FEMA had agreed to deploy MMTs to Strong Memorial Hospital and SUNY Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse. The mission in Rochester will consist of a minimum 30-day deployment.

The team that had been deployed to Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo will extend its mission, while an additional team was deployed from military facilities in Nevada, Texas, Alabama, New Mexico, and Arizona.

The arrival of the Air Force medical personnel is considered crucial, as it will help the overburdened health care workforce continue providing high-level care to patients across Upstate New York.

Steven I. Goldstein, M.H.A., senior vice president of the University of Rochester Medical Center, expressed his gratitude for the efforts of political representatives in providing critical relief throughout the pandemic.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer visited Strong Memorial Hospital on January 21 to request FEMA deployment of military and disaster medical assistance teams to the Finger Lakes and other regions of New York State.

As the teams undergo training in hospital systems and procedures, they are preparing to commence their deployment once they are operational, meaning they have been integrated into their assigned units and begun clinical work.

The deployment of these Air Force MMTs marks a crucial step in the ongoing efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in New York State. The medical personnel's dedication and expertise will undoubtedly contribute to the relief of the overburdened healthcare system and the continued provision of high-quality care to patients in need.