Mobile Mini MIRTT goes to Lasara

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt Ivyann N. Castillo
  • Operation Lone Star Public Affairs
LASARA, Texas, July 29, 2009 --  Eight Texas Army National Guardsmen and One Czech Republic Army general practitioner observer relocated from the Brownsville Medical Innovative Readiness Training Team Site (MIRRTS) to a Mobile Mini MIRTTS in Lasara today.

"Yesterday we packed, loaded our equipment and personnel to recon the site, and met the state and local public health agencies along with the local volunteers to set up the one-day operation here," said U.S. Army Capt. Wood, a doctor for Texas Medical Command.

The mobile mini MIRTTS is a one-day mission during Operation Lone Star where a small team is relocated from one of the larger MIRTTS and stationed in a rural area with a very small population in South Texas, said Wood. It provides medical service for those who are unable to receive traditional medical care or for those who do not have access to transportation to get to another MIRTTS.

The mobile unit not only expands medical treatment into those communities where transportation is an issue, but it also provides training for larger-scale relief efforts.
The Mobile Mini MIRTTS provides preparation for a mission requiring a small and separate leadership team, such as the emergency relief efforts required by a hurricane, said Dr. Brian Smith, Department of Health and Human Services regional medical director, region 11.

"Every year during Operation Lone Star, we try to think of innovative ways to make this operation a success by developing new ideas to help our communities, and the mobile medical unit is one of them," said Dr. Smith.

"We are glad they are here to help the Lasara community," said Irma Cantu, Community Lasara Center coordinator. "Operation Lone Star had the week-long medical service here in 2005 before moving to the Raymondville site, but now this mobile unit is great for just the Lasara residents."