academy in action Mission Critical Von Waldner spent most of last November in New York—but not on holiday. She worked 12-to-16-hour days to help victims of Hurricane Sandy’s devastation as part of the Georgia-3 Disaster Medical Assistance Team. A DMAT is a group of professional and para-professional medical personnel under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services who provide rapid medical response to disaster sites. She and her group supported two separate missions—manning a strike team in the Rockaways that assessed medical needs and worked with public health, emergency personnel and local pharmacists to provide medication access, and also providing medical care to evacuees with special needs, such as dialysis and mental health patients, at New York City medical shelters. Von Waldner has been a member of DMAT for two years.
Dr. Catherine A. White assists a student during the Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse program. Developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the program is intended to inform young adults of the importance of being prepared for a disaster.
“Since so many pharmacies occupy the ground floor of apartment buildings, flooding prevented patients from accessing their medications,” she explained. “Loss of power was another problem. Fortunately, we were able to set up a generator-powered mini-medical center inside a tent in a parking lot to fill emergency prescriptions for those with chronic illnesses.”
Hard to Predict In all of their talks and lectures, von Waldner and White stress the need for everyone to be prepared in advance of emergencies, but sometimes Mother Nature has other plans. “We have to realize that disaster can strike at any time,” von Waldner added. “Tornadoes, hurricanes and severe storms are more prevalent in the warmer months, but ice storms and snow can also be devastating.” They recommend that people know how to protect themselves, their families and their pets by developing evacuation and communication plans, and putting together an emergency kit that will provide water, food and emergency supplies for several days. Von Waldner noted that no amount of training could have prepared her for the devastation she witnessed after Sandy—collapsed houses, downed power lines, upturned autos, contaminated water, loss of power and unmet medical needs. “Most of the people we encountered were so appreciative of the help,” said von Waldner. “They were so glad to know that someone was aware of their needs.”
A Run for the Red Cross Hurricane Sandy may have stopped the official 2012 New York City Marathon, but it didn’t stop a father and daughter from running anyway. Dr. Terrence L. Schwinghammer, chair and professor of the Department of Clinical Pharmacy at West Virginia University, and Amanda Schwinghammer Cowen, coding specialist at Amphion Medical Solutions, completed 26.2 miles in the unofficial RunAnyway event, helping to raise money for the American Red Cross. “Instead of a competitive race where runners tried to achieve a personal best finish time, the event became an international celebration of human determination, spirit and friendship,” Schwinghammer said. “The RunAnyway group helped raise $16,000 for a church and filled five Suburban SUVs with winter clothing donations.” More than 1,800 runners from Canada, Mexico, Germany, Italy and other countries participated in the November event, according to Schwinghammer. “When those international runners left for home, I don’t think they felt cheated because they didn’t get a finisher’s medal,” he said. “Instead, they left knowing they had been part of a very special experience that will likely never happen again.”
academic Pharmacy now Spring 2013
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