By Louis Amestoy
Kerrville Daily Times
Kerrville Funeral Home owner Gene Allen will be the first to admit that he was somewhat skeptical about the coronavirus pandemic, and he often questioned some of the recommendations and mandates that came with the response to managing the virus.
As a funeral director, Allen knew there could be deaths associated with any virus but he’s also the first to admit that nothing prepared him for what he’s seeing in South Texas, especially in the Rio Grande Valley, where coronavirus has exacted a heavy toll on communities there.
Speaking on KDT Live, The Kerrville Daily Times weekday webcast, Allen described the situation in the Valley as one that demonstrates the virus is “real.”
Allen is there assisting the Texas Funeral Home Directors Association efforts to supply refrigerated trailers, body bags and other essential tools to help with the influx of deaths in the Brownsville, McAllen, Harlingen and Edinburg region, which is arguably one of the hottest spots in the country for COVID-19.
Allen is the president of the state association and has been in the region for more than a week working with other funeral directors to support local public health agencies and mortuaries.
“As an example of what’s happening there, there were 130 deaths in one day,” said Allen gleaning local data that is not being shared at the state in real-time. “At this point, as of yesterday morning, the local chief health official’s report to us was there had been a little over 250 deaths, and he had identified through his visits to the hospitals and nursing homes, that he goes to everyday, that there are probably 400-500 more that will not make it in the next week to 10 days.”
Working with local officials and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Texas Funeral Directors Association has set up a temporary morgue at the Weslaco airport. The association has also worked to provide refrigerated trucks to San Antonio and Laredo.
On Tuesday, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported that 54% of those hospitalized in that region, which includes Starr, Cameron and Hidalgo counties, were suffering from COVID-19. With 1,529 cases, the region is second only to the Houston area as far as total number of cases.
On Tuesday, Peterson Health acknowledged that it had taken first COVID-19 patient from the McAllen area, because the hospitals are so overwhelmed there.
Hidalgo County’s official death toll, as recognized by the state, is 318. However, the state’s website has often lagged behind local numbers by days and weeks. In fact, the state has yet to recognize Kerr County’s second COVID-19 death.
The state has directed U.S. Navy medical teams to the region and local officials have urged people to stay home. Hidalgo County, which has had more than 12,000 cases, has issued a curfew, while urging nonessential businesses to close.
Allen’s role as the president of the association is to ensure the region has everything it needs to handle the influx, but it has also been an overwhelming job.
“You know after coming to the Valley, I can sum it up in one word — real,” Allen said. “Real is all I can say. To be honest with you, prior to deploying to the Valley and coming down and checking on things, I was a little skeptical. Was I compliant with the facemask? Yeah. Was I compliant with the 6-foot distancing? Certainly. But I still sat back and half-heartedly joked if masks worked why do we need 6-foot distancing?
“But I will tell you after being on the ground, and seeing what’s going on here it’s very sobering.”
While there are many who doubt the death toll, Allen said what he’s seen would be overwhelming to manage in Kerr County if something similar happened.
“As a funeral director, embalmer, you see different scenarios like car wrecks with multiple fatalities, like the situation we had this weekend with three fatalities due to one accident, and probably the most I’ve seen in my career was seven out of one accident,” Allen said. “That’s a little overwhelming for a small town funeral director. When you start looking at the numbers in the Valley, and the potential of what they’re telling you what’s coming … yeah, it gets a little overwhelming real quick.”
Kerrville Funeral Home owner Gene Allen will be the first to admit that he was somewhat skeptical about the coronavirus pandemic, and he often questioned some of the recommendations and mandates that came with the response to managing the virus.
As a funeral director, Allen knew there could be deaths associated with any virus but he’s also the first to admit that nothing prepared him for what he’s seeing in South Texas, especially in the Rio Grande Valley, where coronavirus has exacted a heavy toll on communities there.
Speaking on KDT Live, The Kerrville Daily Times weekday webcast, Allen described the situation in the Valley as one that demonstrates the virus is “real.”
Allen is there assisting the Texas Funeral Home Directors Association efforts to supply refrigerated trailers, body bags and other essential tools to help with the influx of deaths in the Brownsville, McAllen, Harlingen and Edinburg region, which is arguably one of the hottest spots in the country for COVID-19.
Allen is the president of the state association and has been in the region for more than a week working with other funeral directors to support local public health agencies and mortuaries.
“As an example of what’s happening there, there were 130 deaths in one day,” said Allen gleaning local data that is not being shared at the state in real-time. “At this point, as of yesterday morning, the local chief health official’s report to us was there had been a little over 250 deaths, and he had identified through his visits to the hospitals and nursing homes, that he goes to everyday, that there are probably 400-500 more that will not make it in the next week to 10 days.”
Working with local officials and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Texas Funeral Directors Association has set up a temporary morgue at the Weslaco airport. The association has also worked to provide refrigerated trucks to San Antonio and Laredo.
On Tuesday, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported that 54% of those hospitalized in that region, which includes Starr, Cameron and Hidalgo counties, were suffering from COVID-19. With 1,529 cases, the region is second only to the Houston area as far as total number of cases.
On Tuesday, Peterson Health acknowledged that it had taken first COVID-19 patient from the McAllen area, because the hospitals are so overwhelmed there.
Hidalgo County’s official death toll, as recognized by the state, is 318. However, the state’s website has often lagged behind local numbers by days and weeks. In fact, the state has yet to recognize Kerr County’s second COVID-19 death.
The state has directed U.S. Navy medical teams to the region and local officials have urged people to stay home. Hidalgo County, which has had more than 12,000 cases, has issued a curfew, while urging nonessential businesses to close.
Allen’s role as the president of the association is to ensure the region has everything it needs to handle the influx, but it has also been an overwhelming job.
“You know after coming to the Valley, I can sum it up in one word — real,” Allen said. “Real is all I can say. To be honest with you, prior to deploying to the Valley and coming down and checking on things, I was a little skeptical. Was I compliant with the facemask? Yeah. Was I compliant with the 6-foot distancing? Certainly. But I still sat back and half-heartedly joked if masks worked why do we need 6-foot distancing?
“But I will tell you after being on the ground, and seeing what’s going on here it’s very sobering.”
While there are many who doubt the death toll, Allen said what he’s seen would be overwhelming to manage in Kerr County if something similar happened.
“As a funeral director, embalmer, you see different scenarios like car wrecks with multiple fatalities, like the situation we had this weekend with three fatalities due to one accident, and probably the most I’ve seen in my career was seven out of one accident,” Allen said. “That’s a little overwhelming for a small town funeral director. When you start looking at the numbers in the Valley, and the potential of what they’re telling you what’s coming … yeah, it gets a little overwhelming real quick.”
11 comments:
Rio Grande Valley, Texas Current
Trauma area V
109
This region on the southern border of Texas most likely has the worst rate of hospitalization in the country. Hospitals are full. Moving from bed to bed, medical workers wrapped in protective layers yell over blaring alarms. Nurses softly soothe dying patients. There is little time to grieve. A new patient fills an emptied bed.
And the governor will sent one doctor two nurses and one tent to South Texas GRACIAS PINCHE GUEY!!!
@8:34 Pendejo! Go see what's really going on inside the hospitals before you start moving your mouth! The flu has been more deadly for many years and no lockdown and no shutdown of schools! Apparently, this virus is so deadly and vicious, but the government is dragging their feet in sending anymore money to the American people! Believe me! If this virus was real, that help would of been in the Americans hand long time ago and Rep. & Dem would be united in a real crisis!
Flu is more deadly to children than covid but no lockdown before. Why?
Also how manny of the dying are Mexican nationals that came over because they have no health care in mexico? No one wants to talk about that and that the
reason for the surge is Mexico not reopenings
Mexico is locked down pendejo its the gringo republicans that are infecting the world baboso.
July 23, 2020 at 4:08 PM
What are you watching Disney estupido get back to the real world and get out of your toilet. Pendejo so why is you so call united in crisis not helping here in this area? moron...
July 23, 2020 at 4:08 PM
Otro estupido republicano con sus mentiras igual que el idiota en la casa negra.
The disease and the crisis is making all of us violent. No more patience, understanding, compromise etc Try to avoid people, do not argue with anybody, lock your cars when you are driving, do not open the door to strangers etc These are difficult times.
@7:51/8:12 Este pendejo wants to comment! Comment when you stop getting foodstamps and getting unemployment benefits! pinche huevon mojado! Sorry, I meant to say Coco! Lol
July 24, 2020 at 2:45 PM
I guess you're still in the toilet hillbilly LOL
donde esta el guey del perico pinche jotito go knot yourself.
Weather forecasters advise boaters to postpone and cancel boating trips this weekend
yOU MORONS BEFORE YOU GO ON A BOAT TRIP RESERVE YOUR FUNERAL DETAILS AND/OR STAY AT THE ISLAND FOR 14 DAYS SHOULD BE MANDATORY IDIOTS
Post a Comment