VA still has about 800 missing employees in Gulf Coast

[The Straight Story]

Agencies survey ruined facilities in the Gulf Coast

By Karen Rutzick
[e-mail]

As the urgency of the post-Hurricane Katrina situation in the Gulf Coast begins to lessen, federal agencies with offices and employees in the area are assessing the damage.

The Veterans Affairs Department had two large hospitals severely damaged by the hurricane, and is one of the agencies missing the largest number of employees.

As of Friday morning, the VA still had about 800 missing employees, according to spokesman Terry Jemison. Most of the missing employees are hospital staff, with the largest number being nurses, he said. At least 160 who have checked in reported that they had lost their homes, according to a newsletter from the South Central VA Health Care Network.

According to VA officials, the New Orleans VA Medical Center has been evacuated, with just a few employees left for administrative and security purposes. The Biloxi, Miss., VA hospital is open, but the Gulfport division "sustained major damage" in the hurricane, officials said. It is largely evacuated with "a few" employees remaining. The facility's wooden buildings were basically destroyed and other buildings were flooded on the first floor.

http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=32205&dcn=todaysnews

[uppityperson]

1. It is still urgent, just not right in NO

Argh argh argh. There are still people coming out of the woods, so to speak, and still waiting for help all around the coast. Yes, NO may be sort of under control, but the need is still immediate for a lot of people down ther. I am glad that these stories are still getting out as people are getting burnt out on having bad news for the last 2 wks and are now focusing on the good and ignoring the fact that it is still a mess.

rant over. peace