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News Release

June 13 , 2008

Media Contact:
Christina Chavira
Communications Specialist
530.588.4411
christina.chavira@enloe.org

Enloe Medical Center assists in Humboldt Fire emergency response

CHICO, Calif., Friday, June 13, 2008 – Enloe Medical Center’s Command Center, activated Thursday as part of its Hospital Incident Command System, continues to be fully operational in response to the Humboldt Fire.

Enloe’s Command Center staff is communicating regularly with Feather River Hospital and the Butte  County Public Health Department’s Operation Center, primarily regarding preparing for any potential evacuations from Feather River Hospital, supporting community evacuations and providing ongoing assistance locally.

These efforts have included:

  • Several Enloe nurses and social workers are providing nursing care and medical assistance at the Neighborhood Church and Pleasant Valley High School shelters. These health care workers are currently scheduled through 11 p.m. on Saturday. Two staff members are at the shelters at any one time along with staff from the Butte County Public Health Department and the Red Cross.
  • Enloe has provided two ambulances, a program van and an employee shuttle to transport people being evacuated from the fire.
  • Enloe delivered 25 portable hospital disaster beds to facilities in Chico and Paradise on Thursday, and today Enloe delivered 14 portable hospital beds to Chico Creek Care and Rehabilitation on Rio Lindo, which has taken patients evacuated from Sunbridge Care & Rehabilitation in Paradise.
  • Enloe has also supplied the shelter at Pleasant Valley High School with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
  • Enloe is prepared to take diverted patients, if needed.
  • Enloe is communicating with staff to facilitate co-workers providing overnight accommodations to one another.

“We found that as people were evacuated, they left home without their medications and were at the shelters with special needs,” said Bob Kiuttu, Enloe Medical Center’s Manager of EMS Communications and Disaster Management. “We felt it was necessary to offer assistance and to help make sure people were being directed to the appropriate resources.”

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Enloe Medical Center is a local, nonprofit health care organization. For more information, please call 530/332-7300 or visit us online at http://www.enloe.org.   Enloe Medical Center is located at 1531 Esplanade Chico, Calif.  95926.