Bismarck State College Under Consideration For Field Hospital

According to the Bismarck Tribune, Military officials are looking at both Bismarck State College and North Dakota State University as potential sites to convert them into makeshift hospitals if the COVID-19 cases spike. Major General Alan Dohrmann of the North Dakota National Guard said, “We are planning against the worst case scenario.”

Major General Alan Dohrmann said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will have teams go over to the sites in the next two weeks to assess. Bismarck State President Larry Skogen said the school, “just wants to support the community in any way we can. We’re just providing space, we’re dependent on everybody else to tell us what they need.”

Larry Skogen believes they're looking at the schools armory that has a basketball court, showers, restrooms, office and classroom space. North Dakota's 55 hospitals have the staffing and equipment for up to 2,098 beds. Officials have plans on ramping up to as many as 4,759 beds at the hospitals. If those beds get filled the state would then look at converting places like Bismarck State College to provide another 4,000 beds statewide. Universities are the ideal places because they have dorms, food services and maintenance staff on site.

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