Mobile hospital ready in Taney County

On Friday, state of Missouri and Taney County officials unveiled a new mobile hospital ready to respond to disasters statewide.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security funded the 50-bed mobile hospital, which Missouri officials acquired to allow rescue teams to offer advanced treatment to victims of natural and man-made disasters if nearby hospital facilities aren't available.

Trucks are used to move the $1 million mobile medical unit, or MMU, to disaster scenes, and tents expand the unit into a full 50-bed hospital, which was on display Friday in Hollister. The Taney County Ambulance District will maintain and operate the unit.

"This resource is a great example of the partnerships we are forming all over Missouri to better prepare Missouri for any type of health-related emergency," said Margaret Donnelly, director of the state Department of Health and Senior Services, in a news release.

A similar MMU helped Greensburg, Kan., restore community medical services after a tornado wiped out the city and destroyed its hospital two years ago.