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Health officials and hospital urge clearer shelter planning and public information after River Fire smoke forced surgery delays
Summary
Health department and Southwest Medical Center staff reported a shelter opened at 16:11 closed with no occupants and that smoke forced postponement of surgeries; they urged pre‑designated shelter locations, HEPA filters, pet accommodations and better public messaging via an activated EOC.
County public health officials said they were notified at 16:11 that a shelter had been opened; three staff ran the shelter but closed it around 19:00 after no participants arrived. The health official said Crosspointe Church had also opened a shelter and closed with no occupants and recommended planning alternate centrally located shelters, HEPA filtration and designated pet accommodations.
Greg Freelove of Southwest Medical Center said smoke forced the facility to postpone several surgeries because building air had to be shut down. Freelove urged that standing up an EOC and improving public information would reduce confusion and false reports: "I had 3 or 4 phone calls that they were evacuating Liberal and various different things like that during the fire... they said that was false information," he said, recommending clearer official messaging to reassure and direct the public.
Health officials noted federal/state Public Health Emergency Preparedness funds exist that could be used to purchase cots and pet‑care trailers for regional response; staff said they would pursue regional cooperation for mass‑care resources.
