Members of 219th RED HORSE constructing temporary medical facility in Billings
Airmen with the 219th RED HORSE Squadron of the Montana Air National Guard have delivered equipment and supplies to the MetraPark in Billings.
The Metra is being use as an alternative care facility to ensure Montana has medical facilities needed to meet the governor’s reopening criteria as part of what’s been dubbed Operation COVID Shield.
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Gov. Steve Bullock has activated another 90 Montana Guardsmen to assist in the state’s response to COVID-19, bringing the total to 200 and 33 of them are working on construction of a temporary 90-bed alternate care facility with the capability to treat low acute, non-COVID-19 patients at the Metra, according to a Guard release.
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The team constructing the temporary medical facility includes 19 airmen from the Montana Air National Guard’s 219th RED HORSE Squadron and 14 Montana Army National Guard soldiers from Detachment 2, 230th Vertical Engineer Company and the 260th Engineer Support Company. The group includes carpenters, electricians, plumbers and general laborers.
“Montana Air and Army National Guard construction specialist will build a temporary medical facility that could be utilized in the future, dependent upon the spread of the virus,” Maj. Gen. Matthew Quinn, Montana Corona Virus Task Force leader, said in a release. “This is a proactive measure that is an extra precaution to protect the health and well-being of Montanans should we have a surge of the virus and need an additional location to care for patients with issues not related to COVID-19.”
Another 57 Guardsmen have been activated as a regional response force in support of the state’s COVID-19 response. Three teams are being pre-positioned in Helena, Billings and Kalispell to be used as needed but trained to conduct the airport and train station temperature screenings, and provide the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services medical supply deliveries, food bank distributions or any needed task, according to the Guard release.
