Eight Arkansas Air National Guardsmen will assist the Arkansas Department of Corrections with COVID-19 screening. On Monday, Aug. 10, the Guardsmen will report to the Department of Corrections, 6814 Princeton Pike, at Pine Bluff.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson approved the state active duty call-up Aug. 6 of an additional eight Guardsmen to support the Department of Corrections.
The medical personnel from the 188th Air Wing and 189th Air Wing will assist with medical screening under the direction of Wellpath, the contracted medical provider, according to a news release.
In addition to those eight called to duty, 40 Guardsmen are still providing the following support to state agencies:
• Four Guardsmen are providing logistics support to distribute personal protective equipment and medical supplies at a warehouse in North Little Rock;
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
• Nine Guardsmen are providing case management and call center support at Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville;
• Fourteen Guardsmen are providing facility support and patient transport at a COVID-19 positive isolation facility in Little Rock;
• Thirteen Guardsmen are providing case management support at the Arkansas Department of Health in Little Rock.
The Arkansas National Guard assumes support roles to augment civil authorities, where needed and directed by the governor, to help in a crisis, according to the release.