Here's an op-ed item in the LA Times that California preppers might want to pay attention to:

[url=http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-lowenthal-hospitals-20110608,0,1846597.story][/url]

Basically, the maintenance of three portable hospitals, ready for deployment to a disaster scene, is about to be cut due to the budget crisis. It doesn't seem like a very good idea. Just something one could discuss with your friendly local representative.

the NG medics and MASH unites can cover.
THEY are already paid and equipped to handle most everything.
Duplication of services is expensive and wastefull.

1) Are there NG medics and MASH units in California with these capabilities?

2) Can these NG medics and MASH units respond as quickly as the "hospital in a box" units?

3) How susceptible are they to being deployed overseas?

4) Is there sufficient capacity for expected requirements? Including interstate mutual aid?

Without the answers to these questions it's hard to form an opinion. Given all the natural disasters that California is subject to and the parlous state of hospital capacity there, I have to wonder if there are other programs that should be cut first.

Skeleton units exist presently for California National Guard,The majority have been deployed to Iraq/A-stan or on standby at FOB's for rotation!I suggest an alternative,Deploy the Medical staff from our Humongus Prison systems for Emergency purposes!

That's why there's DMAT teams and the like. But deploying NG, military reserves or DMATs takes days. Agree that there should be some overflow capacity, even if it's at a county level instead of each hospital.

Richlacal, they probably can't use prison medical. #1, the prisoners are garaunteed medical care, #2, their staff may not be credentialed to work at non-prison hospitals (ie, legally they can't work there), #3, prisoners might be injured too. You'd be suprised how much prison docs and nurses make.

Man! We could sure use someone on the order of Sheriff Arpeyo(Infamous in Arizona),He would Revoke the Guarantee on the basis of:Since the convicted criminals didn't make a Purchase of their 3 hots & a cot,A guarantee is Moot & From this point,All convicts will Work for their Room & Board,Pepto-Bismol will be your New medical Staff,You will wear jumpsuits matching your New medical Staff,as well! &&& Green Bologna/Cheese sandwichs in Lieu of 3 hots!:)

I don't think it is wise to treat men with access to automatic weapons and explosives with the standard of care typically seen in prisons. We can get away treating prisoners that way because they aren't allowed firearms, can't vote, and few are wealthy enough to have much pull with politicians. If the prisoners are dissatisfied what, exactly, are they going to do? Write a nasty letter to the warden? Prison medical care is pass/fail. If they don't die, even if they are in pain, crippled, and suffer permanent damage, it is considered an acceptable outcome.

From what I saw, I was doing service work on their infrastructure and was always on the free side of the bars, the general level of prison medicine is about what you would see in many third world countries without the attention to detail, medical advancement over the last thirty years, and compassion. The 'doctor' for a large medium security prison was a set of part-time PAs who were grossly underpaid but kept showing up because if they didn't they would fill the position with someone less competent and less well intentioned.

Patents were treated for minor illness and injury on-site using medical tools pretty much what you would see in an ER from 1968. That and fist-fulls of ibuprofen, Tylenol, Maalox, antacids, and a whole lot of laxatives and lubricating mineral oil. Go figure. Any medical condition that might cause them to die in 48 hours, and trigger an investigation, got hauled off once a day to the nearest state affiliated hospital.

POWs, even those considered 'terrorists', get much better health care. Of course, if you want to see top-of-the-line, no-holds-barred, health care delivered without a thought to the cost look closely at the socialized medicine delivered to congressmen. For them, and their families, it is all just one free helicopter ride to Bethesda, MD and the best medicine money can buy.

Things may have changed in Florida prisons since I saw it but I really doubt it.

A sad state of affairs and likely a sign of things to come. With many states budgets falling short, services like these, and likely many others, are going to fall victim to the budget axe in many areas of the country.

Politicians and bureaucrats cut first what hurts most and is most visible. They're going to 'teach' us that they know best. Yeah.

Sue

How's that saying go? One is none and two is one? Seems prudent to emergency services as well.