FEATURE
Police Week 2020, Page 5
NEWS
86 AW historian captures present for future, Page 8
FEATURE
786 CES perfects purifying proficiency, Pages 12-13
May 15, 2020 | Volume 44, Number 19
NEWS
New German traffic laws and fines, Page 15
NEWS
Housing office adapts during COVID-19 restrictions, Page 16
Read the KA online at KaiserslauternAmerican.com
‘Heroes through Housing’ builds community morale Story and photos by Airman 1st Class Taylor Slater 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs Sirens blared and children clapped as Kaiserslautern Military Community first responders drove through Ramstein’s family housing area during the Heroes through Housing event May 7. Members of the 86th, 569th and 435th Security Forces Squadrons, 86th Medical Group, 435th Civil Engineer Group, NATO Military Police and Army NATO International Military Police were applauded for their work throughout the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Community members adhered to physical distancing standards while celebrating the first responders’ works. “It was amazing to see people excited and the young children waving,” said Staff Sgt. Christopher Torres, 86th SFS police services assistant. “(Children) were happy to be See HEROES, Page 6
Aiden, a military dependent, holds up a sign thanking Kaiserslautern Military Community first responders during the Heroes through Housing event in on-base housing at Ramstein Air Base, May 7. Families were encouraged to make signs, cheer, wave and clap while adhering to physical distancing standards.
LRMC opens new intensive care ward, alternate COVID unit by Alofagia Oney Regional Health Command Europe
U.S. Army Col. Elba Villacorta, Deputy Commander for Inpatient Services at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, center, showcases an updated patient room in the new intensive care ward, May 8. The ward, known as 10C to staff members, is intended to supplement current intensive care and medical-surgical wards for post operative and lower acute patients, as well as serve as an overflow COVID-19 ward in the event LRMC’s COVID ICU reaches maximum capacity. Photo by Marcy Sanchez
As restrictions begin to lift across Europe and within U.S. military installations, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center continues to prepare for the possibility of more patients in light of COVID-19 with the opening of a new intensive care ward, May 8. The new ward, known to staff as 10C, was originally intended to replace the current medicalsurgical ward that is primarily used for postoperative patient recovery
and care. With the onset of COVID operations, LRMC leaders decided to expedite the opening of 10C to serve as a swing ward capable of receiving overflow patients from the Intensive Care Unit, MedicalSurgical Ward and COVID ICU. “We’ve been working on 10C since 2017, and it cost about a million dollars to renovate,” said U.S. Army Col. Elba Villacorta, Deputy Commander for Inpatient Services at LRMC. “When COVID came around, we decided to expand our current intensive care ward capabilities by keeping both the current
ICW and 10C open at the same time.” The new ward is stocked with upgraded infrastructure, improved configuration, new monitoring systems, new isolation rooms and built-in oxygen capabilities. “This is an older facility, but now we have an updated ward where we can treat both our lower acute patients, and any COVID patients as well,” said Villacorta. “In the event we reach maximum capacity in our current COVID ICU, 10C can See LRMC, Page 3
