PORTLAND, Maine (WGAN) FEMA will dispatch fourteen healthcare professionals to Maine Medical Center amid a surge in coronavirus hospitalizations.

Mounting hospitalizations in the state prompted action by the governor’s administration, which announced Wednesday it would activate as many as 75 Maine National Guard members to assist healthcare facilities in non-clinical roles.

Mills also said Wednesday she had put in a request under the Biden administration’s COVID-19 Winter Response Plan for a surge response team, which was approved Thursday.

Starting as early as this weekend, federal clinicians, including physicians, nurses, and paramedics, will supplement existing staff at Maine Medical Center in Portland. They’ll remain until at least Dec. 23rd, according to the governor’s office.

“This important and timely assistance will help us as we continue to address the significant capacity challenges at MMC and across our health system,” said Andrew Mueller, CEO at MaineHealth, the network that operates MMC.

The announcement came the same week the state reported a record-high number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, reaching 379 on Wednesday.