Texas Tech University

West Texas volunteer pilots deliver coronavirus supplies to rural hospitals

The Texas Tribune

April 30, 2020

The Texas Tribune - A volunteer air force of more than 1,000 amateur aviators has come together to transport essential medical supplies in a part of the state where the cities are far-flung and the roads are notoriously dangerous from oil-related traffic.

Simon Williams, an associate dean at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, said there is little modeling to help rural hospitals anticipate increases in COVID-19 patients — making it all the more important that his group can transport medical supplies quickly when hot spots appear.

“What we really need is the capability to provide a flexible response,” Williams said. “If we had an outbreak anywhere in West Texas, we have a supply of materials we could get to them in a few hours.”

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