The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Kelli Jones, a spokesperson for Governor Parson
and Eric Frederick, chief administrative officer at Mercy Hospital Springfield.
THE ANSWER
5 On Your Side can Verify: Yes, this is true. The State of Missouri has ventilators available and ready to support healthcare facilities.
WHAT WE FOUND
Dillon and Frederick confirmed that hospitals are well aware of the state's stockpile of ventilators.
When we asked the governor's office how many ventilators are available, Jones said the State Emergency Management Agency reports 740 ventilators are on-hand for emergencies.
If a hospital needs access to the stockpile, the acting director of DHSS, Robert Knodell, said at a media call that they just need to ask.