A NEW MEXICO MEDICAL ASSISTANCE TEAM FROM UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IS HELPING WITH RESCUE AND RECOVERY EFFORTS IN MOORE, OKLAHOMA. THEY LEFT ALBUQUERQUE TUESDAY MORNING AS PART OF A NATIONAL DISASTER MEDICAL SYSTEM. UNM SPOKESMAN LUKE FRANK SAYS THEY'RE OUTFITTED TO TREAT UP TO 250 PATIENTS A DAY FOR UP TO THREE DAYS WITHOUT RESUPPLY.RED CROSS CREWS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO BE DEPLOYED TO OKLAHOMA. THE LAST TIME THEY WERE SENT OUT WAS FOR HURRICANE SANDY.
THE STORMS IN OKLAHOMA AND ELSEWHERE IN THE MIDWEST ARE A REMINDER THAT, EVEN IN NEW MEXICO, WE'RE IN TORNADO SEASON. BUT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGIST KERRY JONES TELLS 770 KKOB THERE HAVE BEEN FEWER TWISTERS IN THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT IN THE LAST DECADE. SINCE 1950, HE SAYS WE'VE GONE NINE YEARS WITHOUT A TORNADO IN MARCH, APRIL AND MAY.
EASTERN NEW MEXICO IS MOST VULNERABLE TO TWISTERS. A TORNADO OUTBREAK IN THE CLOVIS AREA IN 2007 KILLED TWO PEOPLE AND INJURED 33.
