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Both Fletcher and Lovejoy, Jr. had
managed mass-casualty situations while in the
military. Their training proved invaluable as they
established a makeshift triage area on the asphalt
playground of a local school and set up efficient
patient care protocols. New Mexico internist,
Anthony Karabanow, M.D., arrived
that day and devised a medical record system
to keep track of all of the patients. The UN
positioned at the landing zone to maintain order
for helicopter arrivals. The Mayors of Milot
offered the hospital the use of three local schools,
closed until February 1st because of the disaster. Traynor, Gilberite and crew quickly converted
them into patient wards and triage areas. The transformation of Milot into a sprawling medical
center began in earnest.
Haitian and U.S. medical personnel quickly learned to work together. “Collaborating with the
other doctors was easy since we all speak a common language: medicine,” says Jerry Bernard,
M.D., the hospital’s full-time general surgeon, who was inspired by the surge of high-level
medical volunteers. “The surprising thing was how readily and rapidly they came. Once we
straightened out a few cultural differences, it was an absolute pleasure working with them.”
Collaborating with the other doctors was easy
since we all speak a common language: medicine
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