Should the federal government need it, Gov. M. Jodi Rell says, "its here."
Connecticut’s mobile hospital, a state-of-the-art 100 bed transportable unit, is ready to be deployed to assist in the Haitian relief efforts if the U.S. Health and Human Services needs the extra assistance.
The Ottilie W. Lundgren Memorial Field Hospital is multi-functional and complete with electricity, water, heat and air conditioning. The configuration is flexible, with 25 beds that can operate jointly or independently.
The $8.25 million hospital began operating in 2006 and was funded with a combination of state and federal funds. It can be erected and staffed within hours of an emergency, which is why Rell contacted HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Friday, stating that if needed, Connecticut’s rapid-response Disaster Medical Assistance Team could be mobilized to staff the mobile hospital.
"Our mobile hospital is designed to provide triage and treatment in the event of a public health disaster," Rell wrote. Any costs associated with the deployment would be paid for with federal funds, Rell said.
