Airmen build additional tents

Tech. Sgt. Nakisha Mataia supports a tent pole March 23, 2010, in Angol, Chile. The hospital in Angol was severely damaged in an 8.8-magnitude earthquake Feb. 27, 2010. With the loss of the regional hospital, local medical officials lost the use of 190 beds. At the request of the Chilean government officials, an Air Force Expeditionary Medical Support team deployed to Angol to build a hospital to serve the more than 110,000 people in the region. Sergeant Mataia is an aerospace medical technician assigned to the 56th Medical Group at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Tiffany Trojca)

Photo slideshow: Airmen, Chilean soldiers build tents to expand mobile hospital

Published March 25, 2010

ANGOL, Chile -- Airmen assigned to an Air Force expeditionary medical support team along with members of the Chilean army built additional shelters and tents to expand the expeditionary hospital here March 23.

Initially, Airmen built a hospital with a 10-bed capacity and one operating room. After assessing the medical needs of the local community, Airmen expanded the hospital to include two operation wards and the capacity to hold about 70 beds. Also, Airmen constructed six general purpose tents for medical equipment and supplies.

The hospital will be used by medical professionals in Angol to treat the nearly 110,000 in the Angol region. This hospital will be used by the citizens of Angol for up to three years until their local hospital is rebuilt.

For more photos, click here.