March Airmen help in historic move

  • Published
  • By Will Alexander
  • 452 AMW/Public Affairs
MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. --  When the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center recently made its historic move to its gleaming $1.02 billion facility, 39 Airmen from March ARB's 452 Medical Group were among the regiment of helpers who performed the delicate grunt work of transplanting the center's patients and equipment. 

The monumental task of moving the entire hospital - made necessary by damage suffered during the 1994 Northridge earthquake - has been in the works for more than a decade, and the sense of history attached to the Depression-era facility was not lost on March Airmen. It was where Marilyn Monroe was born in the 1930s, and the building used in the opening scenes of the long-running soap opera "General Hospital." 

"It's literally a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, what we are doing," said Col. Robert Weisenberger, 452 MG commander, who launched his career as a young hospital administrator at USC Medical. 

"How it came about is, one of our physicians (Lt. Col. Jeff Huffman) is on the faculty of the USC Medical School," he said. "When we started talking to them about a training agreement a year ago, we told them about what our capabilities were as far as caring for patients and transporting them, and they saw an opportunity. One thing led to another and we have close to 40 people out here to help move the 600 patients that are in house." 

Col. Weisenberger said LAC+USC Medical Center routinely serves a large number of trauma patients, such as those with penetrating wounds, blunt force trauma, and victims of vehicle accidents. 

"They get the worst of the worst here," he said. 

The task for the 37 Airmen from the group's 752 MDS and seven from the 452 ASTS was to keep these fragile patients stable during the move, according to Chief Master Sgt. Danny Avella, 452 ASTS. 

"We're basically being used as transporters for critical patients," said Master. Sgt. Avella. "Four-person teams (one registered nurse and three transporters) put the patients onto a gurney and take them from the old hospital, downstairs where an ambulance is waiting. Team members put the patient in the ambulance and drive them about a quarter mile to the new facility. 

"It's an opportunity to show the community what we're about and what we do," said Sergeant Avella. "It's an awesome service that we're providing, and everyone is very enthusiastic, with positive attitudes." 

The Airmen's attitude and enthusiasm made an impression on hospital staff. 

"I was truly impressed with their professionalism and sense of humanity," said Dr. Cynthia Stotts, a doctor of osteopathic medicine at LAC+USC Medical Center, who was "move commander" for the 2,000 helpers. 

"That they would bring the sense of the ultimate in quality and calm and cohesion in an organized fashion - those were some of the qualities I was looking for. When patients know that someone knows what they're doing, and to see them in uniform doing it, it really sets such a tone. 

"Everyone was very honored that the Airmen would be involved in our move," said Stotts. "Everyone was saying, 'We're so proud of them.' It added a real sense of pride, and a good time was had by all." 

Stotts said the move kicked off what she hopes to be a long relationship with March Airmen, as details of an ongoing March ARB-USC Medical training agreement are being worked through, hopefully by early next year. 

"We want to have our people come here to train because this hospital sees more penetrating trauma, blunt force trauma than the military hospitals see in the war zones," said Col. Weisenberger. "There's no better place for our people to be trained, so that we are fully qualified to take care of our wounded warriors." 

With a full-time faculty of 450 staff and 850 medical residents, LAC+USC Medical Center services 50,000 in-patients and 750,000 outpatients a year, according to the center's official Web site. Although the center's new technological tools allow staff to perform their massive responsibilities more efficiently, the budgeted bed count was reduced. 

Since a report to the LA County Board of Supervisors projected in July that the hospital will open "at the tipping point," and that its newness could attract an increase in patient arrivals, a new training agreement with March Airmen could be mutually beneficial. 

"We can help carry the load," said Col. Weisenberger. "They have a daunting work load here. It just never ends. There are always ambulances pulling up to their emergency rooms, day and night. 

"So, to have well-trained medics like ours - nurses, technicians and physicians - here to help out, will help them carry the load."