OMAHA, Neb. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Ohama District has awarded a $2.6 million contract to build an Alternate Care Facility in Kalispell, Montana, in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The ACF will be built out in the vacant third floor shelled space of Montana Children’s, which is part of the Kalispell Regional Healthcare system, by USACE under a mission assignment from FEMA in support of the State of Montana.
Construction is expected to begin early next week. The structure would be used for non-COVID-19 patients to create more capacity for treating patients infected with COVID-19 in hospitals’ acute care settings. It will include modular patient pods and nursing stations to support 100 beds.
While social distancing has had a significant impact on the incidence of COVID-19 in Montana and hospital capacity has been adequate thus far, the makeshift hospital sites will help prepare for a potential second wave of COVID-19 infections later in the year, which could stress Montana’s hospitals even more if it coincides directly with the start of flu season.
"The Omaha District will be leveraging our extensive construction capability and expertise to build the additional bed space capacity in support of the request by the State of Montana and FEMA,” said Col. John Hudson, commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-Omaha District. “Ultimately, we hope these additional bed spaces will not be needed. But, if they are, the spaces will be ready and available to support the greater Kalispell community."
Construction is expected to be finished before the end of May.
Release no. 20-050