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Fri Sep 12 23:08:19 BST 2008

Ken
I hope that I speak for many of us on the list in saying, please do not apologise for cross-posting as we all sit around the world reading and learning about your state of preparedeness and planning with utter admiration!

Please post as much as you can about this process and the measures that you are all putting in place

Regards
Mark F
UK

Dr Mark Forrest
Consultant in Anaesthetics & Critical Care
Medical Director of Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service
Medical Director of ATACC

----- Original Message ----
From: "KMATTOX at aol.com" <KMATTOX at aol.com>
To: trauma-list at trauma.org
Sent: Friday, 12 September, 2008 8:16:27 PM
Subject: IKE Houston 9 12 08 11 AM

FYI -  SORRY FOR THE Cross posting.  

To CCM-L, Trauma-list, and Surginet.      I sent  this to a large network of 
trauma and other physicians we have in the Texas  area.    Just to let you 
know what is happening in  Houston.  

To All of my friends in the Trauma network and within the leadership of  
Texas Medical Association
Thank many of you for your concerns, prayers, and  inquires.    

For our friends south and east of us.    If you need us for  major clinical 
problems lets know.  The persons on this list can make  things happen.    

We have 325 patients in this 600 bed hospital.  The ICUs and EC  are full.  
We have at least 2 faculty from every service in  house, and for some 
services (Medicine) we have an excess.  The  reserve internists and radiologists 
are going home at noon today.    The radiologists are here in mass to assure 
that NO unread images are backlogged  as of NOW.    It is cloudy here, but so 
far NO WIND or RAIN  in Houston.  In Galveston 60 miles to our south, sea water 
is already  lapping over a 17 feet sea wall.  Those on Galveston Island who 
are  not OUT will probably not now get off the island.    

The low areas to the south and east of Houston, are vulnerable, all the way  
to Port Arthur over by the Texas Louisiana border, where a 20-24 foot surge is 
anticipated.  

The state, county, and city governmental officials have communicated well  
together.  The 5000 person Conference Call 3 times a day has done a  lot to let 
everyone know who has what assets and how needs  help.    

So far medical problems in evacuees (except a few problems in the relocated  
special needs patients).    
>From a medical standpoint, we do not need any additional assets in people  or 
supplies, at least as far as I know.    All tanks for  emergency generators 
are topped off.    It is now just a matter  of waiting and being available 
first to those who are in the hospital right now,  then to those who come in 
after the impact.    

I would recommend that none of you plan to come to Houston, unless it is  
totally coordinated with the local Incident Commands.    It  would be much 
better, because of loss of infrastructure, electricity, etc, after  impact, you  
and your city consider having a sister city rescue facility to  MOVE activities 
OUT of the impact area if this becomes  necessary.    We do not anticipate a 
need to evacuate any  hospitals, but it might happen.    If it happens, it 
would be  wonderful, if someone had tabulated where and for what kind of patients  
(neonates, intubated, CV, septic, etc) your hospital could take if transfer 
were  made available.      

It is not 13 hours before land fall, but we expect gale force winds to  begin 
within a couple of hours. 

We expect the impact area, including Houston to have significant power  
outages, and property damage.  We expect the power outages to last up  to 2 weeks 
or more.    HOT & Humid.  

Kenneth L. Mattox, MD

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IKE Houston 9 12 08 11 AM