In the days after the Uvalde, Texas school massacre, we are learning about the people that helped save some of the victims' lives.
San Antonio-area trauma surgeon Dr. Ronald Stewart was a key part of that team.
“We started receiving notifications that there were reports of an active shooter in an elementary school which, is about an hour-and-a-half away from San Antonio by car. So, we basically work to get prepared to take care of patients when they arrive,” said Dr. Stewart with UT Health San Antonio.
Four of the victims of the shooting at Robb Elementary School were treated at University Hospital in San Antonio.
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“It’s a moment of crisis that can have a lifetime of impact. So, we work to minimize that long-term impact and maximize survivability,” Dr. Stewart said.
Dr. Stewart has experience with mass shootings. He was one of the doctors treating the victims of the 2017 church shooting in Southerland Springs, Texas, where 26 people were killed.
“We were part of the team who cared for the mass shooting at the Southern Springs First Baptist Church shooting in 2017, and so we, unfortunately, you know, horribly, we have experienced dealing with a mass casualty situation from, again, a rural location outside of San Antonio,” Dr. Stewart said.
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Dr. Stewart said the four patients that his team at University Hospital treated are recovering, but mass shooting events should not become the norm.
“These situations are preventable, which is the most sad and frustrating thing from my point of view. The most tragic part is I think if we work together, we can make a difference and reduce these tragedies from occurring,” Dr. Stewart said.
