Tag Archives: irma

Slow disaster relief: Florida militia discovers a major cause, new preps for Hurricanes!

16APR2018 (12:27 UTC-07 Tango 06)  27 Farvardin 1397/30 Rajab 1439/01 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4716

“I stressed after Hurricane Irma that we have to get our counterparts trained as well, because we’re going to need them. We knew that it was not enough to take on the mission with just the four of us.”-Master Sergeant Abea Balala, Florida Air National Guard

Army National Guard units are the typical bringers of disaster relief aid, unless roads are impassable and then the Air National Guard is used to airlift supplies into affected areas.

During Hurricane Irma relief efforts Florida Air National Guard Master Sergeant Abea Balala, and his four person team, noticed a major problem with the supplies they got from Army Guard units; while the supplies were packaged for transport by ground vehicles they were not in a condition to be shipped by air (or a lot of personnel had to be used to on & off-load one box at a time), meaning everything had to be re-palletized before being loaded on aircraft.  This was a major cause of slow delivery times.

My experience in both the U.S. Air Force and the Army National Guard revealed that Air Force units do not have the manpower to quickly palletize a lot of stuff on short notice, but Army units do.

In this pic of Hurricane Harvey relief notice how National Guard personnel are ‘bucket brigade-ing’ supplies, one box at a time, off the C-130

The ‘higher-ups’ liked the suggestion of Master Sergeant Abea Balala, and last week the Florida National Guard conducted a week-long air transport pallet buildup and cargo preparation course for Army units: “On the Joint Operations side, we’ve been working with the Air side a lot more over the last two years than we ever had. They’re actually part of what is called the ‘Joint Support Group’ … and we work together to coordinate everything throughout hurricane seasons. It means better response, it means better use of our resources. It means if we pack things right and move things right, supplies are going to get to them faster, cheaper, and ultimately may save lives.”-Captain Daniel Munzner, Florida Army National Guard

FOOD CRISIS IRMA: U.S. COAST GUARD

FOOD CRISIS IRMA: ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, MINNESOTA MILITIAS DELIVER SUSTENANCE!

Puerto Rico Militia deployed to Virgin Islands when Maria struck!

28 SEP 2017 (07:32 UTC-07 Tango 06) 06 Mehr 1396/07 Muharram 1439/09 Ji-Yu 4715

One reason help for residents of Puerto Rico (Pwhere-to Ree-ko) is seemingly delayed, according to federal officials, is a lack of local personnel to deliver it.  Well, part of that problem is that Puerto Rico’s own National Guard was deployed to the U.S. Virgin Islands to help with Hurricane Irma recovery.

On 26 SEP 2017, more than 3-hundred Puerto Rico National Guard personnel left the U.S. Virgin Islands to return home to help with Hurricane Maria recovery.  They were originally sent to the U.S. Virgin Islands to help establish food and supplies distribution points, maintain security checkpoints and perform high volume water purification, something now desperately needed in Puerto Rico.

The fact that many of Puerto Rico’s National Guard were deployed to the U.S. Virgin Islands indicates that disaster response planners were not expecting another hurricane to come through the area so soon after Irma.

Video, Puerto Rico National Guard boarding C-130 to return home from U.S. Virgin islands:

U.S. FOOD CRISIS, SEPTEMBER 2017:  IRMA & MARIA KILL 80% OF CROPS!

MARIA: MOTHER EARTH SAYS ‘NO MORE DRUGS FOR YOU, HUMANS!’

“This facility failed its residents multiple times throughout this horrifying ordeal!”: ObamaCare ACA death spiral, September 2017

Incomplete list of healthcare related layoffs and shutdowns, announced in September 2017:

The British empire member United Kingdom is offering U.S. doctors two months vacation plus cash to quit their jobs in the United States and move to the U.K.!

The government of Germany (Deutschland) is also inciting U.S. doctors to flee: Career opportunities for doctors in Germany

The Wall Street Journal revealed that ObamaCare-ACA actually reduces insurance reimbursements to hospitals as the economy improves: The Hidden Obamacare Detail That Could Cost Hospitals Billions

Kaiser Family Foundation’s 2017 Employer Health Benefits Survey: Average premiums for family up 3% from 2016.   Since 2012, premiums for employer-based family coverage up 19%.  Average dollar contribution employees make increased 32% since 2012. Average deductible for single employer-based coverage is $1,505.  In 2017, roughly 1 in 4 employees purchased a policy sporting a deductible of at least $3,000.

Kaiser Family Foundation: 75% of people more concerned about soon to end taxpayer funding for Children’s Health Insurance Program, then about ObamaCare-ACA repeal.

Becker’s Hospital Review: FDA takes action against 500 websites illegally selling prescription medicine

19 patient deaths prompt FDA to issue warning on Intercept Pharmaceuticals’ liver drug

Express Scripts: New cancer treatment drug not covered by ObamaCare-ACA.

Alaska: The state employees union is suing Abbott Laboratories-Saint Jude Medical for knowingly selling faulty defibrillators from 2011-16.   The batteries were faulty resulting in “…plaintiff and the other nationwide class members would not have incurred costs for the recalled devices and the medical costs of device removal and replacement surgery and other related medical costs.”

California: It was discovered that Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital, in Grass Valley, overcharged on Medicare in 2014 which had a domino effect resulting in 173 other California hospitals being paid way more than what they should’ve been paid, right up until 2017!  Hundreds of nurses protested at more than 20 Kaiser Permanente medical centers, due to lack of staffing and overwork.  Schizophrenic Molina Healthcare now says it will hire 250 people after announcing in July it was eliminating 1-thousand-4-hundred jobs!  Pennsylvania based Genesis HealthCare shutting down its Eagle Crest nursing home, 72 jobs gone in October due to California Department of Health canceling its Medicare contract. ‘Christian’ owned Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center eliminating 55 jobs in October, due to the ‘exit’ of California Laboratory Associates from The Golden State.  Molina Healthcare/Medical Management issued numerous layoff WARNs, more than 3-hundred jobs across California gone by Thanksgiving!  Disabled/old people service provider People’s Inc. issued a shutdown WARN for its Costa Mesa ops, 78 jobs gone right after Halloween.    While silly-villians worry about healthcare the U.S. Army spent 211-million taxpayer dollars building a new hospital at Fort Irwin-NTC.

Florida:  The state Office of Insurance Regulation revealed that the cost of ObamaCare-ACA insurance will go up in 2018 by an average of 45%!   In Lakeland, Crothall Healthcare eliminating 186 jobs right after Thanksgiving!   In Fort Lauderdale, Holy Cross Hospital revealed it quietly laid off 23 people in August due to crashing admissions since ObamaCare-ACA went into effect.  Jackson National Life Insurance eliminating ten jobs in Tampa, by November.  In Hollywood Hills, 12 people died at The Rehabilitation Center when Hurricane Irma cut the power.  It was also revealed that the nursing home had prior problems with being in compliance with federal rules about having a back-up power source, and that nurses actually lied about some of the dead patients on medical records saying they were still alive!  Florida Governor Rick Scott canceled the nursing home’s state Medicaid funding as a result of the deaths.  “This facility failed its residents multiple times throughout this horrifying ordeal. It is unfathomable that a medical professional would not know to call 911 immediately in an emergency situation. The facility also entered late entries into medical records claiming safe temperatures for patients while those same patients were across the street dying in the emergency room with temperatures of over 108 degrees Fahrenheit. No amount of emergency preparedness could have prevented the gross medical and criminal recklessness that occurred at this facility.”-Justin Senior, Florida Agency for Health Care Administration

Becker’s hospital Review: Florida lawmaker warned state, federal officials day before residents died at nursing home

Florida governor’s office reportedly deleted voicemails from nursing home where 11 people died

Idaho: Some of Idaho’s ObamaCare Your Health Idaho board members are questioning the state’s decision to hire ‘christian’ Saint Luke’s Health System to ‘help’ people pick an ObamaCare insurance plan.  Not only is the state using taxpayer dollars to pay Saint Luke’s but Saint Luke’s could directly benefit as one of the ObamaCare-ACA insurance providers is directly connected to Saint Luke’s (SelectHealth).  Tennessee based RCCH HealthCare Partners suddenly laid off 62 people at Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center in Lewiston, as a result of the ‘christian’ Lewiston hospital being taken over by RCCH in May.  State government to get $438-thousand USD as a result of the EpiPen Medicaid rebate scandal.  I wonder what they’ll do with the money?

Illinois: Centegra outright laying off 131 people and outsourcing another 230 jobs due to a $62.3-million USD loss!  According to The Kennedy Forum state Medicaid payments are routinely denied for mental health and drug addiction treatments!

Indiana:  Kentucky based Kindred Healthcare eliminating 86 jobs as it shuts down Kindred Hospital Indianapolis South in Greenwood.  Indianapolis based drugs pusher Eli Lilly eliminating 3-thousand-5-hundred jobs globally, including early retirement of U.S. employees!  Prompt Ambulance issued a layoff WARN, 140 jobs gone in time for Xmas!

Iowa: Mercy Iowa City eliminating 115 jobs and reducing the hours of at least 65 employees (according to news media reports, the WARN only mentions 60 jobs), blaming ObamaCare-ACA saying “…our volumes and revenues have declined over time, resulting in operating losses for several years.”

Kentucky:  Louisville based Humana is bribing older employees to quit (buyouts) in preparation “for 2018”, whatever that means.

Louisiana: Willis-Knighton Health System eliminating 232 jobs between now and the next few months!

Maine: Insurance company Anthem will no longer provide ObamaCare-ACA insurance, leaving only two companies providing ObamaCare-ACA insurance in The Pine Tree State.    Seven doctors resigned from Maine Coast Memorial Hospital, in connection to the 2015 take-over of the hospital by Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems.

Massachusetts: Harrington Hospital eliminating 20 jobs as it shuts down its obstetrics unit.

Minnesota: The state Attorney General is begging Mayo Clinic to halt its hospital consolidation operations, Mayo Clinic basically blamed ObamaCare-ACA saying “With regard to a possible pause in the consolidation of services in Albert Lea and Austin, Mayo Clinic must respectfully decline your request. The critical staffing shortage and related patient safety risk that drove our decision to consolidate have not changed.”

New Hampshire: Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital laid off 17 people and shutdown its patient accounts department.

New Jersey: Saint Joseph’s Medical Center ending its DSS Program, eight people unemployed in time for Halloween.  Shiel Medical Laboratory announced it will eliminate at least 538 jobs in time for Xmas, due to being sold to competitor Quest Diagnostics!

New York: Rehab provider Contemporary Guidance Services suddenly shutdown its NYC ops, 53 jobs gone due to not being able to renew the lease.

North Carolina: Bankrupt Morehead Memorial Hospital is now for sale.

Ohio:  Procter & Gamble eliminating 25 healthcare division jobs at the Mason Business Center saying “We are making some small adjustments in our North America Health Care business to reflect shifts in project priorities.”  The Ohio Association of Foodbanks helps people enroll in ObamaCare-ACA, but due to a 71% reduction in federal taxpayer funding was forced to halt such enrollment ops, 54 jobs gone.

Pennsylvania: State retirement and Medicaid payments suspended due to a taxpayer funding shortfall of $2.2-billion USD!  University of Pittsburgh Medical Center canceled its planned $211.2-million USD hospital in South Fayette, without explanation.  North Philadelphia Health System/ Girard Medical Center issued a shutdown WARN, an undisclosed number of people will become jobless by the end of October!

Puerto Rico:  The U.S. FDA (Food & Drug Administration) is warning of prescription drug shortages due to Hurricane Maria.  The U.S. territory is home to dozens of legal drugs factories and Maria shutdown at least 50 of them! 

Rhode Island: Drugs pusher Alexion Pharmaceuticals shutting down its factory in Smithfield, 250 jobs gone due to offshoring work to Ireland!

Utah: Former nurses of Salt Lake City based Mormon Intermountain Healthcare  (formerly called The Health Services Corporation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) was deducting 30 minutes of pay for lunch breaks even though most nurses never get an actual meal break. The U.S. Department of Labor is investigating.

Virginia: SOVAH Health affecting 158 jobs at its Danville location, due to cancelling its contract with Sodexo!

Washington DC:  U.S. Health & Human Services claims that acute care hospitals overcharged taxpayers by $51.6-million USD, and overcharged patients by $14.4 million, in connection to the Medicare program.  Donald Trump has agreed to continue ObamaCare-ACA taxpayer funded subsidies to for-profit insurance companies, at least for the month of September.  Don’t blame Trump, blame Obama as Medicaid and Medicare cuts $2-billion USD from Disproportionate Share Hospital payments in October, as a result of a Supreme Court ruling concerning ObamaCare-ACA.

West Virginia: Charleston Area Medical Center eliminating 40 jobs in time for Thanksgiving, as part of a bigger plan to eliminate a total of 3-hundred jobs by Xmas! Administrators say ObamaCare-ACA will cause them to lose $40-million USD in 2017.

Wisconsin:  Agnesian Healthcare lost $16-million USD due to ObamaCare-ACA imposed creation of electronic records keeping.  Agnesian Healthcare is now suing the software developer.

ObamaCare (ACA) death spiral August 2017: “HAS OUTLIVED ITS USEFUL LIFE”

OBAMACARE FAIL: OPERATION HEALTHY DELTA=FREE HEALTH & ECONOMIC AID AT TAXPAYER EXPENSE!

Maria: Vermont Militia deployed to Virgin Islands!

This is what hurricane Irma did to the only hospital on Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

Vermont National Guard medical personnel deployed to the U.S. Virgin Islands on 16 SEP 2017, originally to support Hurricane Irma recovery efforts, but now to help with Hurricane Maria recovery:

U.S. Army & Air Force medical personnel provide medical care to people on U.S. Virgin Islands

Food Crisis Irma: Arizona, California, Minnesota militias deliver sustenance!

19 SEP 2017 (06:18 UTC-07 Tango 06) 28 Sharivar 1396/27 Dhu l-Hijja 1438/29 Wu-Shen 4715

“This is why we do what we do. It’s an opportunity to help people who need help, and I think it’s why most of us serve in the National Guard.”-Technical Sergeant Michael Gunderson, Air National Guard

While the U.S. Virgin islands are about to get walloped by category 5 Maria, National Guard units from three states are still flying in food aid for people suffering from Hurricane Irma.

Since 09 SEP 2017, 24 hours AirLift Control Flight(ACLF)-Contingency Response Flights have been underway at the Cyril E. King International Airport.  Along with federal agencies and civilian contractors several thousands of tons of supplies have been delivered.

IRMA: MILITARY RESPONSE, SO FAR

IRMA FOOD CRISIS: COAST GUARD ALREADY HANDING OUT MREs!

U.S. FOOD CRISIS, AUGUST 2017: HARVEY KILLS TEXAS CROPS?

HARVEY FOOD CRISIS: MARINES DELIVER THE GOODS TO ORANGE!

HARVEY FOOD CRISIS: MASSIVE FOOD DELIVERY OPS FOR TEXAS UNDERWAY!

HARVEY FOOD CRISIS: BORDER PATROL MAKES HOME DELIVERIES!

Irma: Massive deployment to U.S. Virgin Islands!

U.S. Virgin Islands National Guard PoD operation 13 SEP 2017

The U.S. Virgin Islands has its own National Guard unit, but it’s not enough to deal with Irma.  They’ve been operating at least five Point of Distribution (PoD) centers for several days now, handing supplies to thousands of people in the U.S. territory.

Tennessee National Guard load their Blackhawk into a New York National Guard C-17, prior to deploying to U.S. Virgin Islands on 13 SEP 2017

National Guard units from Kentucky, New York and Tennessee have deployed to the U.S. Virgin Islands, along with federal agencies.

Kentucky National Guard Blackhawk, U.S. Virgin Islands, 08 SEP 2017

Video, Idaho’s Mountain Home AFB 366th Logistics Readiness Squadron deploying mobile air traffic control tower onboard South Carolina based 437th Airlift Wng C-17 Globemaster-3:

U.S. Marines deliver supplies, 10 SEP 2017

USN SeeBees clear routs, 13 SEP 2017

U.S. Postal Service delivers supplies to U.S. Marines 12 SEP 2017

IRMA: U.S. BORDER PATROL DEPLOYS TO BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS!

IRMA: U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS RESCUES!

Irma: U.S. Border Patrol deploys to British Virgin Islands!

Video, U.S. Border Patrol rescue on British empire’s Jost Van Dyke island, British Virgin Islands, 07 SEP 2017:

U.S. Border Patrol and Virginia State Urban Search and Rescue Team deploy to U.S. Virgin Islands, 08 SEP 2017

 

 

Irma: U.S. Virgin Islands rescues!

U.S. Border Patrol personnel deploying to U.S. Virgin Islands, 10 SEP 2017

Video, U.S. Navy med-evac ops 08/09 SEP 2017:

Video, U.S. Marines deploy from amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge to U.S. Virgin Islands, 09 SEP 2017: