Medical readiness and response

CHS has provided emergency medical response to nearly every major world event that has touched our nation, from the September 11 attacks to the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Our ability to respond quickly, meet the challenges and successfully deliver quality medical services for our clients is proven.

• A major services contractor supporting FEMA tasked CHS with providing extensive 24/7 medical support services for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita evacuees being housed in multiple shelters in San Antonio, TX. Within days, CHS assumed medical operations and ambulance services at all shelters and provided a broad range of health services: from supportive medical care to the general and special needs population, pharmacy to transport, as well as occupational health, industrial hygiene, mental health, case work and safety services.
• CHS sent a medical readiness team with two doctors and two nurses to NASA’s Stennis Space Center in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, mobilizing within 48 hours of notification. This team provided medical support and immunizations to displaced employees, their families, and contractors. 
• During Hurricane Katrina recovery, CHS was asked by a major government contractor tasked by the Army Corps of Engineers to assist with the medical needs of first responders. In less than 48 hours, CHS deployed mobile immunization teams that completed within one week 328 immunizations at eight locations across four states. The contractor called the efforts of the mobile immunization teams “awesome”.
• In response to an organization’s concern about the terrorism environment, CHS quickly established an anthrax testing lab, responding in a time of crisis when other organizations were overwhelmed and unable to manage the surge in demand for immediate response.
• CHS set up triage units on Wall Street on 9/11 immediately, responding to assist the community after the World Trade Center attack.
• For a major news organization sending their reporting teams into New Orleans, CHS provided environmental health/public health information, minor medical treatment and monitoring, and immunizations after a natural disaster that devastated the community.
• CHS assisted the passengers of the Staten Island Ferry disaster on October 15, 2003. The CHS medical staff from the New York Stock Exchange onsite health center handled related physical maladies while the CHS Employee Assistance Program (EAP) personnel provided post-event trauma counseling to the shaken and distraught passengers.