Mass casualty bus readied for hurricane event

Ascension Parish officials unveiled the parish’s new Mass Casualty Response Unit on Thursday, the first such vehicle of its kind in the state of Louisiana.

 The vehicle, a converted surplus school bus from the Ascension Parish School Board, was a project of the Leadership Ascension Class of 2010.

 The vehicle is designed to enhance the care of Ascension Parish residents during emergency situations, facilitating the transport of large numbers of casualties. The vehicle is equipped with 12 stretchers and emergency medical equipment and supplies.

 “We want to thank Leadership Ascension for doing an excellent job once again,” Parish President Tommy Martinez said after taking a tour of the MCRU. “This will certainly make our jobs easier in case we have to respond to a catastrophe. We certainly hope that we will not have to use it, but it’s good that we have it.”

 Converting the bus cost about $60,000, secured fromprivate donations. The vehicle will operate under the direction of the Ascension Parish Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

 Three other buses have been donated by the Ascension Parish School Board and are expected to be used for similar Leadership Ascension projects in the future.