Joplin Hospital

[Terrel L. Shields]

St. John's being destroyed in the tornado, the news kept reporting that "area hospitals" handled the emergency load. St. Johns is part of the Mercy system and we even got a few folks down here in NW Ark...but as much as I have listened to it, never once has Freeman Hospital been mentioned by name.

Never mind they operated on over 100 people, treated some 1000 in the parking lot alone, .... did it lose it's name? I have yet to hear the news utter the word "Freeman" only "area hospitals" ... Like Freeman isn't within 10 blocks of St. Johns.

Just curious why the news seems to have a "blackout" of the name "Freeman"...

BTW, we are getting more news on Joplin than the residents..many who still do not have electricity or even TV. Freeman had television restored only last Friday themselves and have been running on back up generators until then.

 

[ccooper]

Hi Terrel, long time no talk to. I haven't been posting here much lately. I definately heard some discussion of Freeman on the local coverage out of Spgfld. I saw some STJ personnel interviewed and they were speaking very positively. There was also some discussion of whether STJ would rebuild. In that discussion, the point was made that Joplin was a large enough community to need Freeman and another facility. Got to go, good to speak with you again....

 

[Terrel L. Shields]

No doubt that Joplin has been able to support both and both are good hospitals. But I wonder if Joplin won't be a smaller town for a while, for sure. And many of the SJH employees are working at Freeman as we speak considering the huge number of seriously injured people. But on the National news I never once heard anyone mention Freeman nor even that had the hospital was so close to St. Johns. Good lesson though. Don't rebuild SW or NE of Freeman. Most tornados travel from SW to NE and placing both hospitals in that line would have potential to destroy both.

What worse disaster could happen than to have lost both hospitals?

On the human side, so so many sad stories. Women who died sheltering their children. People sucked out of their cars with seat belts broken or even remaining latched. A woman found in a closet clutching her bible beneath her. People sheltering behind concrete walls that fell on them.

(BTW. I knew an engineer who used to design WalMart and other similar "Big Box" stores. Those are built to the absolute minimum (read flimsy) standards. That engineer used to police the site like a hawk because the builders would often cut corners even with such minimal standards. He had the "big guys" from some of those companies jumping up and down. He said, "I held my ground. After all, it is MY signature on those plans, not theirs." I would as soon seek shelter in a card board box.)

 

[EDWARD BERRY]

They Built The First Ones For About $5/sf.

Have Been In Contact With One Appraiser In Joplin That Is Spearheading Needs. His House Was Spared, But Six Blocks Away One Appraiser Lost His House.
One Lost His Elderly Mother.

Most Are Complaining They Cannot Access The Www.

I Have Offer Help(office Supplies, Software, Air Cars, Car Trips, Etc.) But No Concrete Needs Have Been Sent Yet.