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The whole world relies on this one U.S. company to fly Ebola patients The whole world relies on this one U.S. company to fly Ebola patients
(about 4 hours later)
When it comes to transporting Ebola victims by air, the world relies on just one U.S. company. When it comes to transporting Ebola victims by air, the world relies on just one small U.S. company.
Phoenix Air, a jet-charter service based in Cartersville, Ga., has flown 15 infected patients, including Europeans who worked in West Africa and five individuals who were treated in the United States — doctor Kent Brantly, photojournalist Ashoka Mukpo, missionary Nancy Writebol, and nurses Nina Pham and Amber Vinson.Phoenix Air, a jet-charter service based in Cartersville, Ga., has flown 15 infected patients, including Europeans who worked in West Africa and five individuals who were treated in the United States — doctor Kent Brantly, photojournalist Ashoka Mukpo, missionary Nancy Writebol, and nurses Nina Pham and Amber Vinson.
Now the Defense Department is stepping up. The Pentagon this week said it is developing its own portable isolation units for use on military planes, as thousands of U.S. troops head to West Africa. The agency expects to test the systems next month and deploy them in C-17 and C-130 transport planes by January. Now the Defense Department is stepping up. The Pentagon this week said it is developing portable isolation units for use on its military aircraft, as thousands of U.S. troops head to West Africa to help combat the outbreak. The modules are expected to be tested next month and deployed in C-17 and C-130 transport planes by January.
“This system is being developed out of an abundance of caution, to reassure our service members working in Ebola-affected areas,” said Pentagon spokeswoman Jennifer Elzea. “There are no plans for DOD personnel to provide direct patient care, and therefore the exposure risk remains low.” “This system is being developed out of an abundance of caution, to reassure our service members working in Ebola-affected areas,” said Pentagon spokeswoman Jennifer Elzea. “There are no plans for DOD personnel to provide direct patient care, and therefore the exposure risk remains low” for troops, Elzea said.
The Obama administration has not decided whether it will use the modules to transport non-military patients. The system being designed for the military could hold up to 12 patients at a time, whereas the Phoenix Air version can accommodate only one infected individual for each flight. The Obama administration has not decided whether it will use the isolation systems to transport non-military patients.
“This particular capability remains under development, so it would be premature to speak to its potential use,” said White House spokesman Ned Price.“This particular capability remains under development, so it would be premature to speak to its potential use,” said White House spokesman Ned Price.
The tent-like isolation units consist of a metal frame, a plastic liner and an air-filtration system. For the charter flights, one doctor and two nurses attend to each patient. After one of the chambers is used, the company sprays toxic disinfectant into the contraption, then removes it from the aircraft and incinerates the plastic. One thing is for sure: The military transports would have greater capacity. Phoenix Air can fly only one infected individual at a time, whereas the military’s isolation units will hold up to 12 patients.
Phoenix Air finished its first transport tube in 2009 with help from the Centers for Disease Control and the Defense Department, following deadly outbreaks of bird flu and severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, in Asia. The Pentagon declined to share information about the development costs for the transport modules, saying the contract has not been finalized.
The CDC at the time wanted a way to transport infected medical workers to the United States instead of treating them in the field, due to growing concern about conflicts throughout the world, according to Dent Thompson, the company’s vice president of operations. The tent-like isolation chambers mainly consist of a metal frame, a plastic liner and an air-filtration system. For the Phoenix Air flights, one doctor and two nurses attend to each patient.
The transport system was finished in late 2011, but the outbreaks had long since died down. As a result, Phoenix Air placed the units in storage. After each patient is transported, the company sprays toxic disinfectant inside the module for 24 hours and sends the contents — including the plastic, the stretchers and even the walkie talkies — off for incineration by a federally licensed hazardous-materials disposal team.
Phoenix Air created three isolation units in 2011 with help from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Defense Department. Those agencies provided scientific expertise and advice on how to manufacture special materials, respectively.
At the time, the CDC wanted a way to return infected medical workers to the United States instead of treating them in the field, because of growing concern about international conflicts, said Dent Thompson, the company’s vice president of operations.
The transport systems were finished in late-2011, but the outbreaks had long since died down. The units were placed in storage.
“We would periodically make various federal agencies aware that it existed and said, ‘If you ever need it, we can use it,’” Thompson said.“We would periodically make various federal agencies aware that it existed and said, ‘If you ever need it, we can use it,’” Thompson said.
A call finally came from the State Department’s chief of emergency medicine in late July. Phoenix Air quickly assembled a volunteer flight and medical crew after government officials inspected the system and gave it a thumbs-up. A call finally came from the State Department’s chief of emergency medicine in late-July, amid growing concerns about the West African Ebola outbreak. Phoenix Air quickly assembled a volunteer flight and medical crew after government officials inspected the system and gave it a thumbs-up.
“Within 48 hours, we were on our way to get the first patient,” Thompson said, speaking of the flight to transport Brantly on Aug. 2. The plane took Brantly to Atlanta and turned around almost immediately to fetch Writebol.“Within 48 hours, we were on our way to get the first patient,” Thompson said, speaking of the flight to transport Brantly on Aug. 2. The plane took Brantly to Atlanta and turned around almost immediately to fetch Writebol.
Both trips, which cost about $200,000 each, were paid for by Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian humanitarian organization that the patients had worked with in Liberia. Phoenix Air decided after those missions that the government should manage all future efforts because of the “real-world complexities of what it takes to make a mission like this work,” Thompson said. Both trips, which cost about $200,000 each, including the decontamination process, were paid for by Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian humanitarian organization that the patients worked with in Liberia.
The State Department has coordinated all flights since then, including those for foreigners returning to their native countries for treatment. U.S. taxpayers pick up the bill for American patients, but the government requires reimbursement for the others. After those missions, Phoenix Air decided that the U.S. government should manage future transport efforts, because of the “real-world complexities of what it takes to make a mission like this work,” Thompson said. The challenges include dealing with U.S. customs officials, gaining permission to use foreign airspace and deciding which medical centers should treat the Ebola victims.
The State Department has since coordinated all flights, including those for foreigners returning to their countries. U.S. taxpayers pick up the tab for American patients, but the government requires reimbursement for the others.
“To me, this is no different from a soldier being shot in Afghanistan,” Thompson said. “The U.S. government is going to get that soldier and bring him home and put him in a medical facility.”“To me, this is no different from a soldier being shot in Afghanistan,” Thompson said. “The U.S. government is going to get that soldier and bring him home and put him in a medical facility.”
Phoenix Air now has three containment systems that can be inserted into its aircraft, one of which is always on standby at a Georgia hangar. The federal government has been a longtime customer of Phoenix Air. In addition to flying executive charters and providing air-ambulance services, the business of about 225 employees also runs cargo for the military, provides flights for the U.S. Marshals Service and carried the White House’s presidential delegation to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
“We’re like a firetruck in a fire station,” Thompson said. The company now keeps one plane on standby for transporting Ebola victims.
“We’re like a firetruck in a fire station,” Thompson said. “We’re ready to go.”