Alexa Doiron
comminitynews@ourvalley.org
In the wake of hurricane Harvey, the LewisGale Regional Health System sent nine employees to Houston, TX to help with the shortage of medical staff.
The danger for people in the region is growing as the US Gulf Coast experienced major flooding on Thursday. Currently, the confirmed death total from the hurricane is 30.
Hurricane Harvey hit Texas last week and since its landfall, 13 million people have been affected by the storm. With 1.3 million people in the Houston metropolitan area lacking health insurance, LewisGale employees saw the need and decided to fill it.
The workers answered the urgent call from HCA Healthcare, a parent company to LewisGale, to help at a moment’s notice. They got a call only a day before leaving, asking if they would be able to fly to Houston to help. The work is entirely volunteer and comes at a sacrifice to some, as they have to find accommodations for their children.
So far, around 20 hospitals in the Houston area have evacuated and people are left in dire need of healthcare services and professionals. The team is likely to stay in Houston for two weeks, if not longer.
Other organizations in the area are rushing to help as well. Places such as the American Red Cross, which held an Emergency blood drive at the Radford Recreation Center yesterday to help those affected by the hurricane. The Jack Brown’s franchise, famous in Southwest Virginia, has also made a pledge to donate to the cause. They have dedicated to donate 100 percent of its profits from Monday-Sunday of this coming week.
