MIAMI (WSVN) - The men and women of the U.S. Navy’s hospital ship Comfort made a South Florida stop ahead of a humanitarian mission across the Caribbean, Central America and South America.
“We are so excited for the deployment that they are ready to embark upon this afternoon,” said U.S. Army Gen. Laura J. Richardson with U.S. Southern Command.
“To be able to share their experiences as well as ours, and to share our expertise and just to bring comfort to their lives during this time,” said Lt. j.g. Tatiana Vasquez, a registered nurse aboard the ship.
The USNS Comfort, the world’s largest hospital ship, pulled into PortMiami on Sunday morning.
“We’ll just be ready to help as we can,” said Lt. Alexandre Zaluski from the Brazilian Navy.
Its 1,000-person crew will provide medical, dental and surgical care to regions and communities that oftentimes have little or no access.
“We do have the ability to hold 3,200 blood products,” said an officer during a tour of the ship.
“Well be able to take care of surgical and pre-op and post-surgical patients, and the intensive care unit, and be able to treat them and take care of them after surgery, so that they’re be able to go back on land safely,” said Vasquez.
Sunday marks Comfort’s eighth deployment to the region.
“This tour will build partnerships, it will build readiness, and it will take care of thousands of patients in these countries,” said Richardson.
To date, medical staff on the ship have treated close to half a million patients and performed more than 7,000 surgeries in what officials described as a mission of humanity and compassion.
“Let them know, when they need help, we’re there for them,” said U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Moises Rodriguez.
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