Michelle Gaitan

Corpus Christi

Medical professionals are working without electricity and water to temporarily provide free medical services to people in need.

Set up under the covered driveway of the Nextcare Urgent Care in Rockport, 2621 Highway 35 N, the clinic opened Tuesday and has treated more than 40 people for minor injuries.

"The only thing we can't do that we normally can do is x-rays," said Daniel Squyres, an ER physician from Victoria. "I did have a guy that came in that probably had an ankle fracture ... we had to send him to Portland to get an x-ray."

An elderly man with blood staining his white hair and a deep arm laceration sought aid from the clinic Wednesday afternoon, followed by a man seeking a refill for his medication and a child who stepped on a nail.

The majority of patients have been for tetanus shots from stepping on rusty nails and requesting refills for their medications, said Heather Ideus, a RadTech from Portland.

H-E-B's mobile Emergency Response Team stationed at the grocery store's Rockport location is refilling prescriptions for people, said Dr. Ernest Alsop, who despite losing his Rockport home was spending his time working at the clinic.

The generosity of people near and far helped the clinic offer free services.

People with the Los Fresnos Fire Department and the city of Bayview dropped off a generator and bottled water, and a company called Mission Regan stopped by Wednesday and offered to bring an enormous amount of medication and medical equipment, Ideus said.

Dr. Robert O'Brien, area medical director of Texas, came up from Austin to lend a hand before heading to Houston where he will continue to offer his services.

"To help the community, quite honestly, to do whatever we could," O'Brien said about why the clinic opened. "The coolest thing is we're not charging any patients. We're here for everybody and we'll be here as long as needed."

The clinic will open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.