Waskom, Texas New Orleans Bus Stop

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The call came out about 10:00am on Friday that buses from New Orleans

were arriving at the Waskom rest area

with people on board needing medical assistance. Champion EMS and first

responders were dispatched to the area.

Upon arrival, there were several buses with injured people on board. Two

more ambulances and a field training

unit to carry extra supplies were also sent to the scene. This stop was

set up by TexDot as a food stop. Buses

were originally suppose to stop in Shreveport for medical treatment and

then travel on to Waskom for food before

going to Dallas. Bus drivers coming up I-49 and taking the loop thus

bypassing Shreveport. Over the course of 3 days,

from Friday morning till Sunday about 12 noon, there were approximately

260 buses with an average of 60 people per

bus seen at this rest stop. KSLA TV out of Shreveport said it was the

biggest stop in Texas. People were given food

(hot and cold), incidentals, diapers, clothing, baby formula and first

aid. At the first aid station we would give out Tylenol,

aspirin, breathing treatments, clean wounds and clean and wrap feet and

then put socks on them. We did everything we

could for these people to let them know we cared. We were told countless

times by these people " thank you and God bless you " .

Sometimes it made you want to cry from what we saw. This was not near

the scene in NO, but these people had been on I-10

for days and this was the first care they had seen since loading on the

buses.

The outpouring from the community and surrounding area was wonderful. We

had Champion EMS, Waskom Fire/EMS,

on County First Responders, Community Four Volunteers, ETMC EMS

out of Carthage, Fire Dept.,

LSU-S nurses, Panloa College Student Nurses, Marshall Regional Medical

Center Nurses, other nurses and volunteers

that I didn't get where they worked, Good Shepherd employees, and

spouses of all these people helping out, and this was

just in the first aid station. Other people from BCBS, on County

Sheriff's office, DPS, inmates cooking, The Church of Marshall

youth group and many others serving in the food preparation and serving

lines.

Buses were only given approximately 45 minutes to get food, water, first

aid and get back on the bus before they pulled out.

Some people had to have help off the buses and have assistance to get

all this done and help back on the buses. These buses

did not come one at a time either, at times there were 8 - 12 buses in

the rest area at the same time. The first couple of hours

were chaotic. Then we set up lines and got organized and things started

running very smooth. We handle the situation and after

it was over everyone felt a sense of pride for the care that was given

to these people.

I am sure I have probably left someone out and I assure you it is not

intentional. I want to thank everyone for a job well done. I thought

I would let the list serve know that we have a wonderful bunch of people

in East Texas that came through when they were needed.

Again, THANKS to everyone.

Ronnie Morton

PS.

For those that know me, I retired Aug 26 from the Marshall Fire Dept and

started with Champion EMS on Sept 1 as an assistant

to in the Education Department. My cell phone is still the

same and e-mail is still the same at this time.

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