Hurricane Rita
October 2005

Working with Louisiana’s Office of Public Health, the Center for Emergency Preparedness led a medical mission of 11 healthcare volunteers to Cameron and Calcasieu Parishes, heavily damaged by Hurricane Rita. The team provided medical support to multiple churches in the region serving as shelters to hundreds of evacuees. In addition, the team spent several days caring for 136 nursing home patients being sheltered in the gymnasium of an elementary school for 2 weeks. It was a challenge the team will never forget.

Hurricane Katrina
September 2005

Working with Louisiana’s Office of Public Health and Global Crossroads, Dr. Catlett led a team of 19 healthcare volunteers to New Orleans and Baton Rouge. In New Orleans, the team was humbled by the amount of flood damage. They provided medical care in impromptu “clinics" for the police, fire, EMS, military and contract workers. In Baton Rouge they staffed the Emergency Operations Center and provided medical support to the Baton Rouge Convention Center, sheltering thousands of evacuees from New Orleans.

Haiti Medical Mission
April 2005

Through GWU’s Office of International Programs and Florida-based non-profit Project Medishare, Dr. Catlett co-led a medical mission to Thomonde, Haiti. Project Medishare is dedicated to improving the health of the Haitian people by re-establishing the health infrastructure in several communities. The team, comprised of three physicians and nine medical students, provided medical care to more than 1,200 patients in one week.

Hurricane Ivan
October 2004

Category 5 Hurricane Ivan devastated Grand Cayman. Through Worldwide Assistance, Dr. Catlett led a medical team of 8 emergency physicians and paramedics to Georgetown Hospital to provide medical support for the hospital staff and surrounding community.

GWU Gas Main Explosion and Hospital Evacuation
September 2003

During demolition of the old hospital, an underground natural gas main ignited, sending flames 20 feet into the air directly in front of the Emergency Department. The GWU Hospital successfully evacuated approximately 100 patients to a neighboring building (which subsequently had to be evacuated as well). The patients were ultimately cared for in a large gymnasium for several hours until the fire could be placed under control. Many valuable lessons were learned, including the challenges of a horizontal/vertical hospital evacuation, the utility of the incident command system, and the importance of backup communications during a disaster.