FORTVILLE — Dr. Shane Robbins, superintendent of the Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation, was recently notified he will be activated in support of disaster relief for Hurricane Irma to aid in the medical evacuation of Florida patients affected by the hurricane’s devastation.
In addition to being MVCSC’s Superintendent, Robbins works for the Federal Coordinating Center (FCC) and is the Admin Chief for the FCC of Columbia, South Carolina. His background includes significant training as a medical service core officer.
Robbins has served his country in the United States Army/Indiana National Guard since 1987 rising in rank to Lieutenant Colonel. He was also the Education Officer and Chief of Operations during the Operation Enduring Freedom deployment to Afghanistan with a mission to train secondary and post-secondary agriculture teachers/professors in Afghanistan.
For the patients affected by Hurricane Irma, two levels of patient transfer requests are available. The first level goes through the Veterans Affairs (VA). Once the VA is inundated, a request is then made to the Federal Defense, and Robbins’ team may be activated.
Robbins explained that patients may be transferred from Florida into Georgia, or — if Georgia is not an option — to South Carolina.
Robbins will be stationed in South Carolina to coordinate patient transfers using military and civilian equipment.
As part of his annual training, exercises with FEMA and the South Carolina Forestry Department simulate mass patient movement.
“This is a unique opportunity that I have to serve,” Robbins said. “I will be able to communicate closely through technology with my talented Mt. Vernon staff, and feel confident projects will move forward while I am in South Carolina for the next week or so.”
Robbins’ deployment is part of the National Disaster Medical System, a federally-coordinated health care system and partnership of the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Defense, and Veterans Affairs.
