ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The New York National Guard is mobilizing 120 soldiers and airmen for a mission aimed at providing extra support to hospitals coping with capacity problems.

“As we get the mission, we will send out these teams,” said Director of Public Affairs for the New York State Division of Military Naval Affairs, Eric Durr. “And the reason why we're doing it in teams is because that's the way the Army works. We call it a ‘battle buddy.’ You don't go anyplace, you always work in teams. Somebody watches your back.

“So some of the people coming from Rochester may live in the area or to Rochester may live in the area. Others may be coming from other parts of the state.”

Thirteen of the teams of two will set up shop at Monroe Community Hospital, where the state says it’s sending the largest number of guard members, due to need. There are currently 189 empty beds at the facility.

“We're mobilizing the forces,” said Durr. “We are sending them out, but where they're working is not up to us.”

He says the Army Guard members that will be deployed are medics, and the Air Guard are known as medical technicians, or med techs. Essentially they have the equivalent of civilian EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) training.  

“They have the ability to give injections,” said Durr. “They can administer IVs. In the Army, their specialty is battlefield medicine. In the Air Guard, they tend to often be the people who will be keeping somebody healthy as they're being evacuated from an operational theater to the United States.”

While the Guard is stationed at Monroe Community Hospital, their presence will benefit the major hospital systems in Monroe County — because some patients from the hospitals are going to be moved to Monroe Community Hospital, freeing up beds inside the hospitals.

“The exact duties they will be executing will be up to the facility they are asked to augment and supplement," said Durr.

Those being deployed are being told to prepare to be on duty through the winter and into the spring.