509th Medical Group closes temporarily today

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  • By 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

509th Medical Group closes temporarily today

WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. – The 509th Medical Group closed at 11:30 a.m. on November 25.  Public health and 509th Civil Engineer Squadron’s pest management flight confirmed the presence of bed bugs in an isolated non-patient care corridor of the 509th Medical Group.  This area has been closed off and is currently being treated by pest management.  To ensure proactive and aggressive assessment of the entire 509th Medical Group, the 509th MDG commander has closed the facility for the remainder of the day.  The facility will be reopened at first available opportunity upon the direction of public health and pest management.

Due to this unexpected closure of the clinic, any appointment cancellations will be re-scheduled for a later time. Patients may contact the Nurse Advice Line at 800-TRICARE for help 24/7 to receive medical care and recommendations. In the case of life, limb or eyesight threatening emergencies, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Should patients, service members or families need more information about bed bugs and how to remove them from your home, they may look to the following link on prevention and ways of treatment for bed bugs: https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/bedbugs/faqs.html

“The 509th Medical Group is proactively and very aggressively responding to this incident.  We are taking every precaution and doing all required actions to ensure that this issue remains contained to the identified non-patient care area.  Based upon the preliminary inspection conducted by the 509th Civil Engineer pest management flight and our public health staff, we are confident that the sole area of concern has been identified and is being professionally treated,” said Col. Chrystal Henderson, commander of the 509th Medical Group. 

The 509th Medical Group plans to reopen for regular business hours, November 26. Anyone with questions or concerns, contact public health at 660-687-4305.