Lt. Cmdr. Dan D’Aurora had a busy day yesterday aboard the USNS Comfort, which arrived in what is left of the port city of Port-au-Prince, Haiti this week to assist with earthquake relief efforts.
The commander saw “more patients in six hours” than he typically sees in a full day of work at his home base, the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
In the aftermath of a 7.0 earthquake that destroyed the majority of Port-au-Prince, the USNS Comfort will provide crucial medical assistance to thousands of injured Haitians. The naval ship can sleep 1,000, and also features twelve operating rooms. About thirty helicopters, operated by members of the Air Force, Coast Guard and the Navy, were dispatched to transport the wounded from land to the decks of the USNS Comfort.
At some points throughout the day yesterday, helicopters could be seen circling the air over the naval ship, waiting their turn to land. When the helicopters finally ceased transport yesterday evening, almost 100 Haitians were still waiting to be treated. Thousands more have yet to make it on board the USNS Comfort for much-needed medical assistance.
The military had planned on using boats to transport wounded in addition to the helicopters, but a pier that would have been used to assist with water transportation efforts was badly damaged during a 6.0 aftershock yesterday. By Wednesday afternoon, though, the navy had located an alternate landing spot, and boat transport will likely begin today or tomorrow.
While the USNS Comfort has hundreds of military personnel on board already, the ship is still awaiting the arrival of an additional 350 personnel. Because the majority will be transported by boat, there has been a delay. The rest of the crew should arrive before the weekend.
It was quite a scene on board the naval hospital ship yesterday, as the injured were carried on board on stretchers, in wheelchairs and in some cases in the arms of others, some who were badly wounded themselves. One man, who had been pumping gas when the earthquake hit, had suffered severe burns and would have to be transported to a military hospital in California.
Despite the constant stream of injured, the crew worked efficiently. Injuries were assessed in triage, and crewmembers denoted the seriousness of each person’s wounded by sticking tape and stickers on individuals that read “chronic renal failure” or “injured left leg.” Patients were then transported to various areas of the hospital ship via elevator to receive further treatment.
By 11:30 am on Wednesday, the crew were preparing for four different surgeries. Before noon, several more had been scheduled. By the end of the day, twenty additional surgeries were on the board.
Jeff Brown, a Navy Corpsman and Maryland native, had been to Haiti on humanitarian missions twice before.
“It’s a 180-degree turnaround from the last mission,” Brown stated. Despite the seriousness of the people’s injuries and the panic displayed by the Haitian people, Brown said “We’re here to take care of people and make a difference. Everyone is very motivated.”
Many Haitians have been wounded in the last few days, as structures continue to fall. “Haiti is still dangerous,” said Cmdr. Tim Donahue, a surgeon on board the USNS Comfort. “A number of them have been injured in the last few days by walls falling in on them as they sleep.”
In addition to the threat of injury from falling buildings, Haitians – and all who are in the country to assist with relief efforts – must face the risk of exposure to asbestos, a carcinogenic material that is found in structural implements such as attic insulation or drywall.
As structures crumble and fall in the wake of the earthquake, asbestos dust is released into the air, putting those present at risk of inhalation. If inhaled, asbestos fibers can cling to the mesothelium, or lining of the lungs, heart or abdomen, for up to fifty years. Eventually, some exposed individuals begin to suffer from malignant mesothelioma symptoms, which are similar to symptoms of the flu: painful cough, fluid in the lungs, chest pain, and difficulty breathing and fatigue. Once diagnosed, mesothelioma sufferers generally see the disease progress aggressively and rapidly, and most lose their battle with mesothelioma cancer in less than two years following diagnosis.
While asbestos exposure may be the furthest issue from the minds of Haitians and others working to locate survivors and rebuild the city of Port-au-Prince, it will be important to monitor the health of individuals who may have been exposed in the coming years.
Despite the immediate crisis in Haiti, the arrival of the USNS Comfort provided the city of Port-au-Prince with a glimpse of hope. Haitian people were seen chanting “USA, USA!” as they watched the naval ship pull into the port, and even the wounded are expressing their gratitude to those who have come to help.
For more information about asbestos exposure and the related health concerns, please visit the Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center.
To donate to the Haiti relief efforts, please visit the Google Crisis Response webpage.
