State to deploy National Guard to build temporary hospitals
Gov. Kristi Noem announced Thursday afternoon that she would deploy the state’s National Guard to help build hospitals around the state, starting in Rapid City and Sioux Falls.
While hospitals in the state are already working on building up their capacity to add more beds and prepare for a surge, Noem said the National Guard would be setting up additional temporary hospital structures outside of pre-existing hospitals and clinics.
The National Guard would first help set up hospital capacity for 100 beds specifically for COVID-19 patients in Rapid City and Sioux Falls and then look at other communities that need help.
Noem said the state is using some federal funding to help cover the costs of the National Guard, which she said can be expensive to mobilize. She said she would release the details of which units will serve first at a later date.
Read more: https://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/state-and-regional/state-to-deploy-national-guard-to-build-temporary-hospitals/article_f6c9a30a-e6eb-5595-a846-8acca7926315.html