KIRKLAND, WA - BLU-MED Response Systems announced today the receipt of an $18 million contract from the State of California Emergency Medical Services Authority for three 200-bed Mobile Field Hospitals (MFH’s) and all required support systems. BLU-MED will also deploy each of the three MFH’s to any location designated by the State of California and set up all of three MFH’s within 72 hours of notification.

In announcing the award, EMSA Director Dr. Cesar Aristeiguieta emphasized the importance of the Mobile Field Hospital program to the EMS Authority and the citizens of California. With this contract, the State of California establishes itself as a leader in providing additional medical surge capacity to local communities in the event of natural disasters, avian flu outbreak or other mass casualty incident.

“We are pleased to assist the state of California in their strategy to build, store and strategically deploy a flexible system of Mobile Field Hospitals to enhance community disaster preparedness,” said the president of BLU-MED Response Systems, Gerrit Boyle.

Each Mobile Field Hospital includes a power generation system, HVAC systems, electrical distribution systems, and specialized mobile medical equipment including ventilators, monitors, diagnostic equipment and portable oxygen delivery systems. These modular hospitals have been produced to CAL EMSA’s specifications to include emergency/triage facilities, operating room with 2 OR tables, two Intensive Care Units with a total of 20 ICU beds, 180 ward beds, mobile radiology, laboratory and pharmacy supply units. Special patient population needs are planned for via pediatric care units, obstetrics/gynecology units, orthopedic and neurology units and a negative pressure isolation ward for highly infectious patients.

In the event a deployment notice is given, BLU-MED will provide all support service and facilities to be a completely self-sustained operation in 72 hours. These services include catering for all patients and staff, potable water service, waste water removal, trash removal, medical waste removal, showers, toilets, laundry facilities, oxygen cylinder refill service and fuel delivery service for power generation systems.

Each of the 23,000 square foot Mobile Field Hospitals will function and feel like a state-of-the-art community hospital, with bump-through doors, hallways and medical wards. In addition, each MFH will include a 6,500 square foot complex to house medical staff. When combined, the three EMSA mobile field hospitals will provide 600 patient beds, treatment space for 60 emergency care patients, 3 operating rooms, along with medical equipment and support services as needed to restore or replace available hospital beds at the scene of a disaster or public health emergency.

In addition to the hospital facilities and equipment packages, BLU-MED will provide annual exercise support services, medical equipment calibration services, pharmaceutical cache rotation services and deployment services for CAL EMSA through a separate five year service contract worth in excess of $4.3 million. California is leading the way as the first state to use this model to proactively procure and privately manage these assets before a disaster or outbreak occurs.

About BLU-MED Response Systems
BLU-MED Response Systems provides turnkey, mobile facilities solutions for disaster medical surge facilities, alternate command centers, temporary housing and other support personnel housing requirements. The company offers a full range of medical equipment packages and configuration options. BLU-MED support services include vendor managed inventory options, field deployment, and training & exercise services.
BLU-MED facilities can be sized and customized to meet a variety of state and local emergency management and public health response requirements. Modular options include medical surge wards, patient treatment, decontamination, immunization/drug distribution, negative pressure isolation, and field laboratory units. BLU-MED Response Systems is a division of Alaska Structures, Inc. For more information see http://www.blu-med.com

See the video covering the Cal EMSA test deployment

Full press release available in PDF