Arkansas Air National Guard flies 35 Gustav refugees home

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LITTLE ROCK — About 35 Hurricane Gustav refugees who had been taken to hospitals in central Arkansas were flown home Sunday afternoon by the Arkansas Air National Guard.

One-hundred-and-twelve Gustav refugees remained in Arkansas hospitals Sunday.

"Some of them aren't ready to go yet" because of medical conditions, said Maj. Keith Moore, a spokesman for the National Guard.

About 230 were taken through the National Disaster Medical System from Louisiana when Hurricane Gustav hit the Gulf Coast on Sept. 1. When Louisiana officials began allowing its residents to return home, Arkansas hospital administrators discharged some patients who made their own way back to Louisiana. The Arkansas officials also helped others to return by arranging private transportation.

William Mason, branch chief of preparedness and emergency response for the Arkansas Department of Health, said the decision to transport some of the refugees home through the state's Air National Guard was made Friday.

That decision followed criticisms made by Arkansas hospital administrators who said there was no clear plan in place to return refugees transported to the hospitals.

Mason said the decision to use the Arkansas Air National Guard for their return was made independent of the National Disaster Medical System. He said it was not known if the National Guard would be used to transport the rest of the refugees, when they were ready to go.

"We don't have any plans right now," he said.

During Hurricane Gustav, about 5,400 people took shelter at Fort Chaffee near Fort Smith and at county shelters around the state. An unknown number of people stayed at hotels and motels until the storm passed.

Front Section, Pages 5 on 09/15/2008