Health care, road clearance, aeromedical evacuation and food donation marked this Saturday (25)
By Captain-Lieutenant (RM2-T) Camila Marques and First-Lieutenant (RM2-T) Vanessa Mendonça – São Sebastião, SP
This Saturday (25th), the medical care provided by the health teams of the Brazilian Navy (MB) continued in the municipality of São Sebastião (SP), hit by heavy rains that left several victims and a large part of the population homeless and vulnerable.
Through the Operation “Shelter by the Sea”, the MB made two Field Hospitals (Hcamp) available, one on board the Multipurpose Airship (NAM) “Atlântico” and the other in the Juquehy neighborhood, which on Saturday attended 82 patients, 27 of them children. In addition, a mobile team formed by a pediatrician, an orthopedist, a general practitioner, a nurse and two nursing technicians also provided 66 consultations, including 14 children. The mobile service took place at the Henrique Tavares de Jesus Municipal School, in Barra do Sahy.
The Commander in Chief of the Fleet, Vice-Admiral Edgar Luiz Siqueira Barbosa, pointed out that Operation “Shelter by the Sea” is a benign activity and that humanitarian aid is part of military doctrine. “We are supporting the Civil Defense immediately after the disaster caused by the rains that occurred last weekend in the northern coast of São Paulo. The Navy has people capable of both planning and carrying out this action, which involves resources from the Fleet, district resources from the 8th Naval District Command, resources from the Marine Corps, and health professionals.
Watch the full interview: [Note: audio in Portuguese]
The logistics of an operation like this also involve the way the personnel will be distributed. The Commander of the Fleet Marine Force, Vice Admiral (Marine) Renato Rangel Ferreira, explained how the planning of the Marines’ work was carried out. “This modularity of being able to keep part of the Operational Group operating aboard the NAM ‘Atlântico’ and, at the same time, project half of the Field Hospital to operate from land was the emphasis of the organization of the ‘Shelter by Sea’ operation, because it was what proved to be necessary,” he pointed out.
Watch the full interview: [Note: audio in Portuguese]
Edvaldo de Farias Prado, who is a maintenance assistant, was one of the patients assisted by Hcamp in Juquehy and said he was well assisted by the health team. “I want to thank the Navy personnel for the attention to the residents here in the neighborhood who have been through this tragedy”.
Also on Saturday morning (25), the Vice-President of the Republic, Geraldo Alckmin, was aboard the NAM “Atlantic” and described what he saw of the humanitarian service to the people of São Sebastião. “We have just left the ship, the largest in the Brazilian fleet. We see here great solidarity with the families of the victims, solidarity saving lives, solidarity with the people of São Sebastião. I got to know the work of the Navy, the hospital and the outpatient clinic on the southern coast, and this is important for logistics, which, for example, receives helicopters. We have a thousand military personnel involved in the work, so it is time to thank the volunteers, the Non-Governmental Organizations, and the Federal, State, and Municipal Public Sector for taking care of the population’s benefits”.
Road Clearance
The Marine Corps Operational Group is collaborating with the Civil Defense and the city hall of São Sebastião in clearing roads, using a backhoe, a loader, and a dump truck. This Saturday (25th), a road of approximately 30 meters was cleared.
Support to the indigenous village
This Saturday (25th) was also marked by the donation of food to the Rio Silveira Village, which houses about 500 indigenous people, in the Boracéia neighborhood, in São Sebastião (SP).
Aeromedical Evacuation
Edinice Nunes dos Santos, 48, resident of São Sebastião, had to be taken by aircraft to be treated at the NAM “Atlântico” Medical Complex. She needed orthopedic medical attention and was having difficulty accessing the regional hospital. The patient was evaluated and treated by the ship’s medical team.
Source: Navy News Agency