STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The volunteer medical team was just about to leave the Grayson Street home of Joe and Eleanor Pesce, where their son was managing the post-Superstorm Sandy cleanup effort for his parents, who are in their 80s.
Nurse Debra Powell had just examined Mrs. Pesce?s hand, which was red and painful from a fall the night before. Suspecting a broken bone and, in light of other medical concerns, she emphasized the need for the Oakwood woman to go to the hospital right away. When Mrs. Pesce insisted she had to shower first, the nurse calmly convinced her it was not necessary. Her resistance and anxiety eased, Mrs. Pesce was now waiting for her daughter to arrive and drive her to the hospital.
As goodbyes were being said at the top of the stairs, what seemed like a miracle occurred: The lights sputtered on. Mrs. Pesce, who had been putting up a brave front, let out a whoop of joy and then clung to Ms. Powell as the tears flowed. It had been a long two and a-half weeks.
A home healthcare nurse with North Shore Long Island Jewish Health Care System (LIJ), Ms. Powell?s personal response to the recent disaster came from her years as a visiting nurse, knocking on doors, assessing the needs of residents, providing care and planning treatment.
She quickly found allies among medical professionals here ? Drs. Neil Nepola and Sal Desena, with the Richmond County Medical Society, and Diane Arneth, executive director of Community Health Action of Staten Island (CHASI).
?We saw a lack of medical care and coordination,? said Ms. Powell. In repsonse, they formed the SI Medical Corps, a network of organizations and a growing cadre of volunteer doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, paramedics, EMTs and social workers.
?We are trying to cover the basics for taking care of yourself, a family member or friend when you are dealing with the disappearance of the routine of everyday life,? said Ms. Powell.
With the Health and Hospital Corporation medical van in Miller Field in New Dorp, and Acacia, a Bronx-based community health organization, stationed on Midland and Kiswick avenues, the SI Medical Corps decided to establish a presence in Oakwood. The area had been served by the Beacon Christian Community Health Center in the days right after the storm with the aid of an AmeriCares mobile unit, but it was somewhat isolated now.
Ms. Powell?s team last Wednesday included Josh Sippen, a social worker with Community Health Action of Staten Island (CHASI), and Rob Bellone, a paramedic. They started their day with about 10 other volunteers and staff in the CHASI medical van parked at Mill Road and Aviston Street, near the Oakwood Heights VFW Post, one of the many grassroots community centers that have popped up offering supplies, food and moral support.
The group, after a briefing by Ms. Arneth, fanned out into the neighborhood where many homes were damaged and destroyed.
At each visit, a number of basic questions had to be asked: Do you have enough to eat and drink for three days? Are you eating regularly? Do you have your medications? Are you taking them? When did you see your doctor last? Do you have any injuries? How are you coping with the stress of all this? Are you using gloves and masks while working? Have you had a tetanus shot? Additionally, blood pressure and glucose counts were taken of those who warranted them.
This simple approach was able to identify a wide range of concerns: cases of hypertension; elevated blood sugar count;
broken bones; questionable living conditions; prescriptions needed for insulin. The Health and Human Services Emergency prescription and durable medical equipment replacement program was used to help some during the group?s visits.
On Thursday, Ms. Arneth reported the team had knocked on about 350 doors, receiving a response from half, and half of those resulted in some medical data.
At Thomas Santora?s house, he told Ms. Powell?s team everything was fine with him and his brother, but said there were other homes in the neighborhood where they might be neded.
At a pop-up relief center at the corner of Fairbanks Avenue, a neighborhood activist directed Ms. Powell to a woman with lung issues who was coping with her husband?s illness and living among three houses while hers dried out.
?What we are doing in Oakwood Beach is triage, making sure people get what they need,? Ms. Arneth observed. ?Everyday we?re doing intervention for 30 to 40 people. We are reaching people who need help.?
In addition to their neighbors, churches and the Red Cross are sending people in the area to the SI Medical Corps van. And now that it has been there for a few days, people are coming for follow-up visits.
?We are missing some people who may be at higher risk because of mental health issues, but we are getting a pretty good sense of the neighborhood,? Ms. Arneth said, concluding, ?We need to transition to something more lasting to help transport the community back to physical and emotional health.?
Contact the Staten Island Medical CorpsSIMedCorps@verizon.net or call Richmond County Medical Society at 718-442-7267.
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