Samaritan's Purse donates a field hospital to Italy. The Air Force supports the reception and set-up operations
The aircraft landed on Tuesday 17 March at 21.18 pm at the airport of Verona Villafranca, a DC8, departed from the United States with on board personnel (health and logistics) and medical equipment made available by Samaritan's Purse (SP) to deal with the Covid emergency 19.
Samaritan's Purse is an evangelical Christian humanitarian organization that operates in over 100 countries around the world. The offer of aid to Italy, accepted by the Minister of Health of the Italian Government and by the President of the Lombardy Region, consists of a field hospital consisting of 60 beds and 8 ICU intensive care units. The hospital will be set up in the next few hours in the city of Cremona and will be operational for a period of three months, within the health facilities set up to deal with the Coronavirus emergency currently underway.
The Air Force, at the disposal of Minister Guerini, has ensured the logistical support necessary for the reception and transport of personnel and materials to the city of Cremona, and has guaranteed the carrying out of the planned airport and customs operations.
To welcome doctors, nurses and staff from the United States, and to worry about the unloading of over 20 tons of material and equipment, as well as specialists from the Air Terminal Operation Center and the Trucking Group of the 3rd Wing, also officials from the Customs Agency, 12 representatives of the Civil Protection of Cremona and a delegation of the SP advanced team who arrived in Italy a few days ago to carry out inspections and preliminary preparations for the assembly of the hospital.
Furthermore, thanks to the logistic projection capabilities, a specialized team of the 3 ° Stormo will support the staff of the SP during the next few hours during the setting up of the field hospital.
A second flight is expected in the next few days to complete the structure of the structure and integrate the team of specialists.
The Joint Force Summit Operational Command (COI) is the tool by which the Chief of Staff of Defense is able to exercise his decisive function as Operational Commander of the Armed Forces. The Armed Forces play their part in support of the community for the management of the health emergency, thanks to constant coordination with the Department of Civil Protection, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Health.