The 1,000-bed U.S. Navy hospital ship, USNS Comfort, is being activated 
and readied for service in earthquake devastated Haiti. The 894 feet-long ship includes more than 1,000 medical and support personnel. The U.S. Navy has activated its massive 1,000-bed hospital ship, USNS Comfort, and is readying it for service in earthquake ravaged Haiti, the U.S. defense department said.
The ship is normally maintained in a partially inactive status at its home-port in Baltimore, Maryland. It takes at least five days to be ready to get under way but should head to Haiti by Monday at the latest. The ship is essentially a floating hospital and includes the medical services of a modern well-equipped medical facility. In addition to 1,000 beds for varies types of casualties, it includes 12 operating rooms. The Comfort is staffed by over 1,000 doctors, nurses, medical technicians and ship support personnel. In addition, the Comfort also has four distilling plants on board, with the capacity to create 300,000 gallons per day of clean, drinkable water. Safe water will be one of the most essential short-term needs for the survivors of the devastating 7.0 Haiti earthquake that happened on Tuesday afternoon.
via Navy hospital ship with 1,000 beds readies for Haiti quake relief.
