Confluence Health Sends Back Ventilators for Places in More Need

The Chelan County Emergency Management was able to procure through FEMA a shipment of 50 ventilators for the North Central Washington region which resulted in 100 available ventilators. However, there isn't enough staff to pair with the number of ventilators.

"But in reality, our ability to provide staff to ever be able to utilize 100 ventilators is well above our wildest abilities," said Dr. Peter Rutherford, Confluence Health CEO.

Given the high demand for ventilators in the country, it was requested through FEMA to return ventilators that aren't immediately needed.

"So in conjunction with Chelan County Emergency Management, those are being returned to FEMA to be deployed somewhere else," said Dr. Rutherford.