WSU medical school alumnus cares for Spokane wildfire evacuees

As wildfires drove Spokane residents from their homes earlier this week, Dr. Brent Conrad went to the evacuation center at Spokane Falls Community College and asked where he was needed.

The Washington State University medical school alumnus spent the next two days caring for evacuees there and at the larger shelter later opened at the Spokane Convention Center. Working through the Spokane Medical Reserve Corps, Conrad helped treat people suffering from burns and smoke inhalation.

"I grew up on a small farm here in Eastern Washington, and it has always been my goal to return here and serve as a family doctor," Conrad said. "I've been trained well and feel that makes it a responsibility to use the skills I've been equipped with to serve my community."

Conrad worked alongside a Red Cross nurse at the first evacuation center. At the Convention Center, the medical team cared for hundreds of people and worked with local emergency crews to handle urgent cases within the shelter when possible.

His preparation for that work began at WSU's Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, where rotations in rural clinics and hospitals taught him how to care for patients when resources are limited. Those experiences prompted him to complete advanced trauma life support training during his residency.

"There were times that multiple patients were in need at once," Conrad said. "Having this background helped me strategize which patients I needed to see first and how to clearly communicate with my team so that everyone could get taken care of."