DASH Alliance Ready to Respond Again.

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Disaster Aid Services to Hospitals, DASH, was designed 12 years ago as a result of Hurricane Andrew, and DASH is working today. We know because of Hurricane Charley, Frances and today we are watching Ivan, wondering what hospitals may need assistance.

About 190 nurses, clergy, security guards, and plant operations staff from eight "unaffected" health care systems throughout Florida traveled to Fort Myers, Florida as soon as the roads became passable, to assist Lee Memorial Health System (LMHS) after Hurricane Charley. We called these special people: "Charley's Angels." If they needed us we would be there for them, too. That's what DASH is all about: Disaster Aid Services to Hospitals.

The DASH alliance comprises nine not-for-profit Florida health care systems. In the event of a disaster, each hospital in the DASH program is committed to provide a volunteer emergency team of loaned employees to the hospital (or hospitals) affected to help minimize risk to patient care and hospital operations.

Charley reached Category 4 just before landfall on Friday, August 13th . The System's hospitals were in lock-down mode (once you are in you can't leave and only those needing medical treatment are able to enter). Employees serving on Team A, the team to work before and during the hurricane, were mobilized at 11 p.m. on Thursday, August 12. Employees are to work 12 hours then rest 12 hours. After Charley blew through our community, emergency departments were full. Special needs guests, those with medical needs that required shelter from the hurricane in the hospital, could not go home -- they had no power, no transportation. Employees were concerned about their homes, their families. Team B was activated, but there were many who could not come in to the hospitals or due to communication problems did not know that they were being asked to come.

Within hours of Hurricane Charley's devastation, DASH nurses relieved staff that needed rest, and were anxious to see their families and check their homes for damages. And DASH continued to assist until nurses were able to meet with insurance agents, FEMA, and other agencies to ensure the help they needed to secure their family and home, was on the way. Then on past Labor Day weekend, LMHS staff were standing by the phone, ready to assist Florida's east coast hospitals due to the 'fury of Frances'. The services of DASH were ready to reciprocate the support received during Charley!

LMHS Security Chief Doug Wade is one of three individuals who began DASH just after Hurricane Andrew hit South Florida 12 years ago. Doug and his staff have worked to keep DASH alive ... just in case.

Doug recalls Hurricane Andrew and a hospital in Miami that could not locate basic supplies; vendors moved out or were destroyed. The infrastructure that sustains essential items a hospital needs was gone. Lee Memorial Hospital, part of LMHS, responded with water, plastic, roofing, nails, food, and DASH was born. DASH does not replace government programs. DASH praises FEMA, and many others who assist before, during and after a hurricane. The difference is that DASH responds immediately, optimally before landfall of a hurricane, setting up an Emergency Operations Center to help the hospital withstand the storm and recover quickly. DASH volunteers assist local nurses to continue to work as possible.

Since 9-11, DASH has expanded to include assistance in the event of a weapons of mass destruction incident. The DASH mutual aid alliance of hospitals is designed to respond quickly in disasters where long term damage to local vendors and infrastructure necessitates the highly coordinated ability to receive staff and supplies, as well as deal with the lack of public utilities for an extended period of time.

Participating hospitals are: Baptist Health South Florida in Miami, North Broward Hospital District in Fort Lauderdale, Baptist Medical Center in Jacksonville, Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, St. Josephs' Hospital in Tampa, Bayfront Health Systems in St. Petersburg, Indian River Hospital in Vero Beach, South Broward District Hospital d/b/a Memorial Healthcare System in Hollywood, and in Fort Lauderdale, Holy Cross Health Ministries.

Lee Memorial Health System (LMHS) is a progressive, financially sound health care provider with more than 6000 employees, 2500 volunteers and Auxilians, and more than 800 physicians on staff. LMHS is a member of Voluntary Hospitals of America, Florida Partnership; The Florida Hospital Association; Association of Voluntary Hospitals of Florida and is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

LMHS has served the citizens of Lee County and surrounding communities for four generations. The largest and only community-owned health care system in the area, it is governed by a publicly elected 10-member Board of Directors and is the largest public system in Florida that receives no direct tax support. LMHS is committed to providing high quality, cost effective services; Cape Coral Hospital, HealthPark Medical Center, and Lee Memorial Hospital are each ranked as one of the 100 Top Hospitals in the Nation.