U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer visited UNMC on Nov. 12 to get an up-close look at the med center’s increasing biosecurity transportation capabilities.
Fischer received a fresh tour of the Negatively Pressurized Conex, which she had seen on a previous visit to the med center. She also received a tour of the NPC Lite – a smaller version of the biocontainment transport unit.
The Negative Pressurized Conex and NPC Lite are under the purview of the U.S. Air Force’s Center for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills program, also known as C-STARS.
With the med center’s expertise in the biocontainment transport systems – isolation units intended to transport patients with high consequence infectious diseases and allow for their safe care – UNMC has been planning for an Infectious Diseases Air Transport Training Facility to be built on the south edge of the Omaha campus.
Col. Elizabeth Schnaubelt, MD, director of C-STARS Omaha, accompanied Sen. Fischer on the tour. Also joining the senator were Josh Santarpia, PhD, a professor and researcher with the UNMC Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology and associate director for academic affairs in the Global Center for Health Security; and Angie Ling, regional director of the Region VII Disaster Health Response Ecosystem who also is with the Nebraska Air National Guard.
UNMC Interim Chancellor H. Dele Davies, MD, and Chris Kratochvil, MD, UNMC’s vice chancellor of external relations, also greeted the senator.
During the tour, Col. Schnaubelt emphasized the importance of regular training so the med center’s teams are “well poised to execute” in the event they are called to respond to an infectious disease event.
As Sen. Fischer toured the biocontainment transport systems, members of the C-STARS participated in a training exercise while in full personalized protective equipment.
Sen. Fischer said UNMC’s programs and its work with the military are impressive and she’s excited to be able to help in the future of those efforts.
Said Sen. Fischer, “I appreciate the time and effort that’s put into this and their (the teams’) knowledge and their skills.” She also commended the collaboration around the projects – “people working together to accomplish a very, very important mission.”