Bay State nurses help the harried in Houston
Nearly 30 Massachusetts nurses arrived in Texas this week to help besieged medical staff in Houston as Hurricane Harvey’s floodwaters recede exposing massive damage.
“Some of these nurses are working at the hospitals around the clock,” said Kate Lannon, a Tufts Medical Center nurse and member of the volunteer team. “Some of them lost their own homes and their families were affected, and they’ve had to stay in the hospital.”
She said, “We just want to help in any way we can.”
A group of 27 Massachusetts nurses and a lab technician left from Hanscom Field Wednesday morning to assist Bay Area Regional Medical Center in Webster, Texas, just outside of Houston.
The Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association received a plea for help from the center on Tuesday. Its staff members were battling exhaustion, scrambling to keep up with the influx of emergency department visits.
Eyes have turned to Caribbean storm Irma as it heads for Florida, and Jose in the mid-Atlantic. A fourth named Katia brews in the Gulf of Mexico.
But the dwindling floodwaters from their big brother Harvey, which wreaked havoc on Texas Aug. 25, does not mark the end of devastation.
“As the floodwaters from Harvey recede, I think it’s easy for people believe the work in Texas is done,” said Lynn Nicholas, MHA’s president and CEO. “In reality, the most difficult work is just beginning.”
Massive piles line the streets: mattresses, rugs, damaged wood, dressers, overflowing garbage bags. People whose houses were turned inside out by the storm are quietly overwhelmed, salvaging what they can and clearing belongings that have turned to debris.
“It’s very sad to see,” Lannon said. “It’s a reminder not to take things for granted.”
Stores are closed and residents are on weekslong waitlists for rental cars, trying to restore mobility after being trapped by rising waters.
The Massachusetts team spent yesterday clearing moldy tile and helping the elderly move heavy boxes. They would get a two-hour nap, then head to the hospital to start their medical shifts.
Today they will likely head to the Houston Astrodome, which is temporarily housing about 2,600 people who lost their homes.
The crew will return Sept. 12.
Nicholas said she is “incredibly proud of our generous and dedicated nurses and techs for stepping up to help when and where it’s needed the most.”
She added, “This effort is one of the most heartwarming things I’ve been engaged in during my entire career.”