Saturday, May 10, 2008

Joplin hospitals initiate disaster response plan

Freeman Health System and St. John's Regional Medical Center in Joplin initiated their disaster response plans tonight following the tornadoes that struck the area:

The NWS office at Springfield was reporting that at least three people were killed in the Racine area in northwestern Newton County, but the sheriff said there were six deaths in his county.

Approximately 95 people were being treated Saturday night in the emergency rooms at St. John’s Regional Medical Center and Freeman Hospital West in Joplin. Both hospitals had initiated their disaster-response plans. St. John’s sent a mobile ER to Newton County.

A spokeswoman for Freeman West said the injured were coming from Granby, an area north of Neosho, Picher, and an area near Highway 43 and Iris Road in Newton County.

Spokeswomen for both hospitals said patients were arriving at the hospitals via private vehicles, ambulances and helicopters as late as 10 p.m. Saturday.

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