HELENA — Three hospitals in Northwest Montana will soon be getting help from the Montana National Guard as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise.
Gov. Greg Gianforte announced Friday that following formal requests, Guardsmen will be headed to Kalispell, Whitefish, and Plains. The hospital in Livingston will also be receiving additional help.
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“To ease the load our civilian soldiers and airmen carry as they support the state, we’re fulfilling formal requests for Guard resources with Guardsmen residing in or near their communities, so they can sleep in their own beds at night as they assist hospitals in their COVID response. Our entire state thanks them for their continued service and sacrifice.” - Gov. Greg Gianforte
Logan Health in Kalispell will be getting help from 25 Guardsman while two will be utilized at Logan Health Whitefish. Additionally, four Guardsman are headed to Clark Fork Valley Hospital in Plains.
The four requests received Friday, as well as all formal requests received and being fulfilled by the state since last week, are below:
- On September 15, St. Peter’s Health in Helena submitted a formal request for 10 Guard. This request was fulfilled on September 24 with 10 Guard.
- On September 15, Billings Clinic in Billings submitted a second formal request for 10 additional Guard. This request was fulfilled on September 24 with 10 Guard.
- On September 15, St. James Healthcare in Butte submitted a formal request for six Guard. This request will be fulfilled with six Guard.
- On September 17, St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings submitted a formal request for 10 Guard. This request was fulfilled on September 22 with 10 Guard.
- On September 17, Missoula County submitted a formal request for 24 Guard. This request was fulfilled on September 24 with 24 Guard.
- On September 20, Bozeman Health in Bozeman submitted a formal request for 10 Guard. This request will be fulfilled with 10 Guard.
- On September 22, Benefis Health System in Great Falls submitted a formal request for 20 Guard. This request will be fulfilled with 20 Guard.
- On September 24, Livingston HealthCare in Livingston submitted a formal request for six Guard. This request will be fulfilled with six Guard.
- On September 24, Logan Health in Kalispell submitted a formal request for 25 Guard. This request will be fulfilled with 25 Guard.
- On September 24, Logan Health Whitefish submitted a formal request for two Guard. This request will be fulfilled with two Guard.
- On September 24, Clark Fork Valley Hospital in Plains submitted a formal request for four Guard. This request will be fulfilled with four Guard.
The state is working directly with -- and anticipates additional formal requests for Guard resources from other hospitals -- according to a news release.
At the governor’s direction, Montana Disaster and Emergency Services is assisting hospitals in the process of securing full reimbursements from FEMA for eligible COVID-19 staffing needs.
The Montana COVID-19 tracking website on Friday shows an additional 124 new COVID-19 cases and 854 active cases were being reported in Flathead County. To date, 16,718 cases have been confirmed in the county including 15,722 recoveries and 142 deaths.
Sanders County added nine new cases on Friday and there are 151 active cases. Overall, the county has seen 1,080 cases including 913 recoveries and 16 COVID-19 related deaths.