Chaplain to CT DMAT, on the ground in Texas
Phone interview with the Rev. Peter Stebinger
by Pam Dawkins, ECCT Temporary Digital Associate and eNews editor
The Rev. Peter Stebinger, part-time missional priest at St. Paul's Church, Bantam, and formerly of Christ Church, Bethany, is one of about 30 members of the Connecticut Disaster Medical Assistance Team (CT DMAT) helping Hurricane Harvey victims in Rosenberg, Texas.
Stebinger, the team's chaplain, said yesterday they arrived in Dallas on August 25 and moved to the Fort Bend Fairgrounds in Rosenberg on Tuesday.
"We became the emergency room for Fort Bend County, because the hospital emergency rooms have not been able to function because of the flooding," he said. "We're seeing what you would see in a classic emergency room situation ... many, many of our people have lost their homes."
As chaplain, he usually leads some form of morning prayer, at the request of his team members. He also provides spiritual care for the team and the people they serve. "It's very humbling," he said of his experiences in Texas, including the support the DMAT team gets from local sheriffs, paramedics, and other volunteers.
Stebinger said he appreciates the urge to help that has people sending items to Texas.
"People are generous, they really want to help, which is wonderful," he said. But, "the shelters are overwhelmed with donations."
Instead, he asks that donors send money through Episcopal Relief & Development (donate
here). ERD, he added, will stay in Texas doing long-term recovery.
As for the Connecticut team, "We will be here until we get sent home," Stebinger said. "The federal government will be providing disaster medical assistance until the state of Texas no longer wishes it."
For information about the federal response, click
here for the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services' Public Health Emergency page, and
here for information about the National Disaster Medical System.
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Above: Tuesday night, the Disaster Medical Assistance Team from Connecticut set up a mobile medical station at the fairgrounds to provide urgent care for residents impacted by #HurricaneHarvey.
Photo credit: PHE.gov Facebook page
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Above, Wednesday, teams from Connecticut and New Hampshire successfully resuscitated a resident who arrived in cardiac arrest at the Fort Bend Fairgrounds medical tent in Rosenberg, Texas. The Rev. Peter Stebinger of St. Paul' s Church in Bantam, in the blue shirt, held the oxygen bottle as they lifted the patient into a helicopter for transport to an area hospital. Photo credit: PHE.gov Facebook page.
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