Georgia Army National Guardsman Pfc. Loran Jones, a combat medic with the Marietta-based 248th Medical Company, 265th Chemical Battalion, updates patient medical records on May 12, 2020 at Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center in Atlanta, Ga. The Georgia National Guard strategically deploys medical support teams to hospitals to augment medical staff.
U.S. Army National Guard photo by Pfc. Isaiah Matthews (Photo by Spc. Isaiah Matthews)
MARIETTA, Ga. —
Approximately 100 Soldiers and Airmen will begin assisting healthcare workers at hospitals across the state during the current increase in cases and hospitalizations.
Service members will provide assistance at the following hospitals, Southeast Georgia Health System in Brunswick, Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, Wellstar Kennestone, in Marietta, Piedmont Henry in Stockbridge, Phoebe Putney in Albany, Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, Navicent Health in Macon, Grady Hospital in Atlanta, Piedmont Fayette in Fayetteville, and Houston Medical Center in Warner Robins.
“We are always ready to serve the people of Georgia for as long as we need to serve,” said Major General Tom Carden, the adjutant general of the Georgia National Guard and member of the Governor’s Coronavirus Response Task Force. “The first medical support teams we are sending out are medics, some are doctors.”
Medics were chosen based on their skillsets to be able to go in and have the greatest, positive impact across the state.
Soldiers and Airmen from the Georgia National Guard were initially activated to support COVID-19 missions on March 15, 2020. Medical support teams were the first to assist across the state to alleviate the workload on civilian medical personnel located at-capacity hospitals. Later in the year, Georgia Guardsmen disinfected facilities, assisted at foodbanks, provided COVID-19 tests and sample collection, and helped as additional needs arose.