Fort Eisenhower and Eisenhower Army Medical Center (EAMC) are beginning to phase in operations as the post and hospital recover from Hurricane Helene.
Beginning on October 3, the post operated under controlled access. Only mission essential personnel, first responders, and residents were permitted on the post.
MG Ryan Janovic, Commanding General at Ft. Eisenhower, said 37 of the post’s 780 family housing units were significantly damaged.
“Significant damage, most often here now referred to as a large pine tree through the roof, as it is happening off the installation as well,” he said. “We’ve talked to all those families that are here. Some have vacated the home, all relocated, some with friends and family by their choosing, temporarily relocated others in headquarters buildings for the first night or two. Now with our housing partner, Balfour Beatty (BBC), beginning the process of tree removal and tarping, and then eventually onwards to roof repair.”
Janovic said there were no storm-related injuries on post. Additionally, they evacuated 33 inpatients out of EAMC, by air, others with ground transportation. Although the hospital has a backup generator, the lack of water prompted the decision to evacuate patients.
“The largest proportion of them went to Womack Hospital, which is at Fort Liberty, North Carolina,” he detailed. “We flew seven over to Fort Stewart in Savannah, Georgia. There were some that were taken to hospitals in the Columbia, South Carolina area by ground transport. Primarily they were not local hospitals, because, at that time, all of our hospitals in the local area were challenged.”
EAMC has begun steps to return to full service. Effective Monday, Oct. 7, the Exchange Pharmacy re-opened. It will be open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. In the meantime, TRICARE Prime beneficiaries were issued a waiver allowing them to seek medical care from any TRICARE providers without a referral from their primary care physician.
“It will take a long time, I believe, for the hospital, to resume its fullest capability, but we’re going to have to continue the information push on what it means day by day and week by week,” Janovic told ABD.
Despite the damage caused by Hurricane Helen, critical missions were still operational.
“Of course, there’s an impact, 100% of the workforce is not available for undetermined amounts of time,” Janovic said. “Missions had to be shifted to other locations in order to do that. Nothing is left uncovered, but yet, it is a hard portion of time when other facilities, other organizations, and other locations have to pick up a mission, we do it with a fair level of discipline, but all the operational commanders are eager to see how quickly that we can help restore them.”
They will also make a full review of construction projects underway on post when immediate needs are completed. One project in particular is Pine Tree Terrace, the 76 new homes currently under construction.
“What had gone in there was horizontal. They had laid some foundation work. They had run some sewer piping there,” he said. “In fact, we might use part of it as a staging area, as BBC moves timber and cut down pine out of the area. We are going to have to wait a little while to further assess.”
CSM Michael Starrett told ABD recovery is just one priority. The other is making sure soldiers and their families are safe and cared for.
“The Commanding General and I, have walked about the community. We’ve seen leadership everywhere talking with the young soldiers,” he said. “The service members are helping service members. You’ve got folks who are mechanically inclined, that are out there helping each other when their generator goes down to get a generator back up. You’ve got folks where they might have propane and they’re doing the breakfast and somebody else will do the dinner and sharing those abilities with each other.”
Janovic said they have about 600 soldiers currently in training at Fort Eisenhower who have completed enough of the curriculum to graduate early. They are trying to find ways to avoid a later-than-planned graduation for others in training.
“We can do that, whether that means condensing some of the classes or whatever that takes to make sure that we try to stay on the best as possible, to keep them on track with their normal graduation day,” he explained. “Now, if that extends, we’ll make sure that those service members are aware, so that they can communicate that to their family members.”
Fort Eisenhower, EAMC, and MWR (Morale, Welfare, Recreation) coordinators are posting updates to their respective Facebook pages.
https://www.facebook.com/forteisenhower
https://www.facebook.com/DDEAMC
https://www.facebook.com/FortEisenhowerMWR
