http://www.nbc5i.com/news/4922980/detail.html
Babies Airlifted From New Orleans Hospital To Dallas
2,500 Patients To Be Airlifted To North Texas
POSTED: 11:34 pm CDT August 31, 2005 UPDATED: 11:52 pm CDT August 31, 2005
DALLAS -- The national disaster medical system has been activated for the first time, causing hospitals in Hurricane Katrina's strike zone to be evacuated.
On Wednesday evening, the process of airlifting 2,500 patients to the Dallas area began. Some of the first to arrive in Texas were the tiniest.
Six babies rescued from a flooded hospital in New Orleans were airlifted to Medical City Dallas.
"The hospital had no lighting at all, no running water," flight nurse Tim Beasley said.
Beasley said the hospital was cut off by floodwaters and the situation had become dire.
"The whole bottom floor of the hospital was flooded. When we arrived, there was a team of nurses, about 10 nurses standing on the top of the building, waiting for us to land and they were just holding the babies," Beasley said. "They were getting the babies out first. I hope they got the other patients out of there."
Beasley's partner, flight nurse David Campbell, said the conditions inside the hospital were hot and dark.
"You couldn't see a thing. I mean, you had to carry around flashlights. It smelled like wet dog," Campbell said.
Members of the Dallas flight crew, pleased they were able to rescue the hurricane's youngest victims, were still struck by what they saw.
"You could see all across the city, and it's a swamp," Campbell said.
The hospital staffers said they are having a difficult time reaching the babies' parents, who have no idea they are in Dallas.