Despite earlier reports to the contrary, the University's emergency helicopter PennSTAR-3, which is based in the Lehigh Valley, has not been dispatched to northern New Jersey.
According to Rebecca Harmon, spokeswoman for the University of Pennsylvania Health System, PennSTAR-3 was given the order to fly to Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, but at the last minute was told to stand down.
"We're on standby," Harmon said. "We're able to send our chopper to Teterboro Airport and pick up patients as necessary."
That airport is one of the triage areas that have been set up to handle victims of the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center in New York City.
Despite the fact that HUP is on standby to receive overflow patients from New York, the hospital does not expect to see patients tonight.
"Patients will probably not initially be sent here," said Gary Scheib, who is coordinating HUP's emergency room operations.
Nevertheless, HUP is ready to receive patients.
"Basically, what we've implemented is our disaster medical plan," Harmon said.
According to the plan, patients who are able have been discharged to free up bed space for incoming patients.
