In midst of hurricane season, Jacksonville-area hospitals evaluating disaster plans

3 years ago 358

In midst of hurricane season, Jacksonville-area hospitals evaluating catastrophe plans

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Hospitals crossed the state are dealing with a ample fig of COVID-19 patients, and the concern is particularly hard successful New Orleans wherever Hurricane Ida near powerfulness outages.

In Jacksonville, hospitals are monitoring reports of what’s happening successful New Orleans hospitals and evaluating their catastrophe plans. Louisiana hospitals successful the way of Category 4 Hurricane Ida were forced to evacuate dozens of patients. Some had their roofs torn and were relying connected exigency generators for electricity.

Dr. David Caro, UF Health Jacksonville’s catastrophe aesculapian officer, says the size and class of an approaching tempest volition dictate however the infirmary operates.

“A tropical tempest oregon a Category 1 hurricane volition person flood harm and trees down, but successful general, astir of the hospitals successful the country would beryllium capable to proceed their mean function,” Caro explained.

A Category 2 hurricane oregon higher, however, presents greater challenges.

“Then we commencement to deliberation astir moving patients retired of the city,” Caro explained. “This is simply a small spot concerning due to the fact that evidently with the pandemic that is going connected close now, each of the hospitals successful the portion are being affected by the fig of COVID patients coming in.”

UF Health said it precocious upgraded its diesel motor generators to powerfulness the infirmary up to 72-hours should the energy grid spell down. The infirmary says it is besides well-stocked with captious attraction equipment.

Caro said Jacksonville’s Delta variant cases successful hospitals look to beryllium peaking and that the fig of infected big patients astatine the hospitals successful the country are somewhat down. However, helium said pediatric infections among children who are excessively young to beryllium vaccinated are connected the rise, which helium hopes volition not pb to different wave.

Baptist Health released a connection that reads:

“We person invested successful installation upgrades astatine our campuses to beryllium capable to withstand hurricanes without jeopardizing diligent oregon squad subordinate safety. These upgrades include, among others, hardened flood doors and shutters to forestall flooding; elevating generators, coolers and different captious cogwheel supra the flood plain oregon lodging them successful hurricane-rated enclosures; upgrading model glazing to a upwind standing that tin withstand nonstop interaction from debris; etc.”

“With a precocious colonisation of patients owed to COVID-19, we person taken due steps to enactment sheltering successful spot astatine our hospitals successful the lawsuit of a hurricane versus evacuation. However, if an evacuation is necessary, the Baptist Emergency Management Team volition coordinate with the due section Emergency Management offices to guarantee a harmless modulation to different facilities for our patients and squad members”.

A petition for remark was not instantly returned by Memorial Hospital.