Hospitals and other medical facilities on Florida's Gulf Coast, still affected by Hurricane Helen, are now resuming operations in preparation for Hurricane Milton.
The system is shaping up to be one of the most powerful to hit the region in years, and is expected to make landfall near the Tampa area late Wednesday. Long-term care facilities in counties under mandatory evacuations are transferring patients elsewhere, while hospitals are largely on alert and preparing to stay open through the storm.
According to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, WebsiteAs of Tuesday afternoon, 10 hospitals had reported evacuations. Kim Smoak, deputy commissioner of the Florida Department of Health, said 300 health care facilities had been evacuated as of this morning, the most in the memory of the staff working there. This number includes 63 nursing homes and 169 assisted living facilities.
Steve McCoy, director of the Florida Department of Health's Office of Emergency Medical Surveillance, said this was the state's “largest evacuation ever.”
Health officials are using about 600 vehicles to move patients out of the storm's path, tracking them with blue wristbands that indicate where they should be evacuated and sent. They plan to keep patients outside overnight until winds reach sustained speeds of 40 miles per hour, making driving conditions dangerous.
“I've lived on the Gulf Coast all my life and I've lived in Sarasota for 20 years. I've never seen anything like this,” said David Belinder, CEO of Sarasota Memorial Healthcare System. spoke. “We are very anxious, but we are as prepared as possible.”
Hospitals prepare for hurricanes
In addition to an on-site well, Tampa General Hospital has more than five days worth of supplies, including food, linens and 5,000 gallons of water. In case of power outages, the hospital has an energy plant with generators and boilers located 33 feet above sea level.
Tampa General successfully deployed an “aquafence” to prevent flooding from storm surge. Hurricane Helen 2 weeks ago. Once Milton makes landfall, the barrier will rise again and be able to withstand a 15-foot storm surge. The National Hurricane Center estimates Milton's waves will be 10 to 15 feet high at their peak.
Just in case, no one will be working on the first floor of Tampa General Hospital for the time being.
Tampa General Chief of Staff Jennifer Crabtree said, “While Aquafence has proven effective in the past, it is only a first line of defense and allows for safe continuation of patient care.” “This is one of many mitigation measures we have put in place this week to help ensure that.”
Although Tampa's health system has closed many urgent care and diagnostic imaging facilities, four hospital campuses are poised to remain open through the storm.
HCA Florida Healthcare, one of the state's largest health care networks, evacuated patients from five hospitals to sister facilities. HCA Florida hospitals closed include Pasadena Hospital in St. Petersburg, Largo West Hospital in Largo, Florida Inglewood Hospital in Inglewood, West Tampa Hospital in Tampa, and Fawcett Hospital in Port Charlotte due to high winds and flooding. There is. caused major damage in 2022 During Hurricane Ian.
AdventHealth North Pinellas evacuated 40 patients Tuesday afternoon and transferred them to nearby hospitals within the health system. The hospital's emergency department remains open. AdventHealth Florida CEO and President Randy Hafner said in an emailed statement that the system is “equipped with water, generators, sandbags, satellite phones, and the best caregivers. I'm as prepared as I can be.”
Although nearby hospitals are closed, Sarasota Memorial Health System will also remain open during the storm and will be sheltering in place, Belinder said. Still, “we're concerned about a lot of unknowns,” he says.
Belinder said the system has at least seven days' worth of food, water, linens, medicine and 200,000 gallons of fuel, and although it is already nearing capacity, it will evacuate more than 4,000 people during the hurricane. It is estimated that support is expected.
Sarasota Memorial is offering child care and pet shelters at both campuses as more than 2,500 staff members prepare for an overnight stay at the hospital starting Tuesday.
“Although we are not a designated medical evacuation center, we are working with the county to care for medical dependents who have been assigned to the hospital due to the severity of their needs, as well as patients evacuated from other hospitals in the area. ” he said.
Dr. Matt Shannon, director of regional emergency medicine at Florida Health University, said the state's flagship is ready to accept patients.
“The emergency department… will never close,” he said. “We have five emergency departments, all of which are open and functioning. This is not our first rodeo, we've been through it many times before.”
Mary Mayhew, president and CEO of the Florida Hospital Association, said repeated hurricanes have strengthened Florida facilities and prepared for Milton. Still, the strength of Hurricane Milton and the nature of the storms occurring in quick succession will affect “a wide range of states and hospitals.”
“From flooding to clogged drains to unremoved debris, the area's vulnerabilities are increasing and could exacerbate what is already expected to be a catastrophic situation,” Mayhew said. said. “Local hospitals routinely prepare for the worst and hope for the best.”
Nursing home evacuated
At a news conference Tuesday, state officials and long-term care industry representatives urged nursing homes and assisted living facilities to prepare for extended power outages, damaged sewage systems and loss of access to electronic health records.
“We want to remind you that all emergencies are local,” said Emmett Reed, CEO of the Florida Health Care Association, which represents Florida's nursing homes and long-term care providers. “If you have any questions, you should first report them to your local emergency office.”
Florida's West Coast, which includes Pinellas, Manatee and Hillsborough counties, has the highest concentration of nursing centers in the state, said Kristen Knapp, spokeswoman for the Florida Medical Association.
“Based on reports, at least 5,000 to 6,000 nursing home residents have been evacuated,” Knapp said in an email.
In counties under emergency orders, nursing homes and assisted living facilities must have enough emergency generator fuel to power life-saving equipment and maintain indoor temperatures at safe levels for 96 hours. That is what is required.
Deborah Franklin, a member of the Florida Medical Association's emergency response team, said that even if the hurricane's path isn't in the worst of conditions, each center should print documentation for residents, including medications and dietary restrictions. said. She also urged staff to consider residents' mental health. Some move for the second time within just a few weeks.
“We have to address trauma-informed care for these populations after the storm and even during the storm,” Franklin said. “They may be worried about their families. They may be worried about having a home to go to.”
Lily Whiting, 67, said she has no plans to evacuate the nursing home where she lives a few blocks from Clearwater Bay. But if Magnolia Manor staff determines residents need to be moved to another facility across town, she may have to pack up anyway.
“We may have to evacuate, but they doubt it and say we'll see what happens,” Whiting said. “Then they'll have another place for us to go.”
The retired housekeeper took advantage of the sunny weather Tuesday afternoon to get some fresh air and rely on the walker she uses to get around. She said she's becoming increasingly nervous as Hurricane Milton hurtles toward the Gulf Coast, but she's confident the facility will take care of her and other residents.
“It’s a little scary,” she said. “But I always pray.”
Concerns about home care also emerge
UF Health's Shannon said most people with lung problems who rely on oxygen at home have extra oxygen bottles on hand, and some new equipment also has extra batteries. said.
But he worries about the elderly and people living in rural areas.
“We see them in the emergency room if the backup fails or we don't have access to the generator,” Shannon said.
Dialysis facilities across the state are trying to provide shortened treatment to as many patients as possible before they are shut down due to the storm.
“Helen, they were able to get back on their feet quickly and get back to work. But if the wind blows, this could be a different kind of event.” said Helen Rose of the Health Services Advisory Group. The network will establish a telephone helpline and keep an up-to-date list of facilities open during and after the storm.
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Associated Press Florida Capitol reporter Kate Payne in Tampa contributed to this report.
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