Hurricane Wilma was the sixth major hurricane and the twenty-first named storm of the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Damage from these storms was extensive throughout the state of Florida. Included in the damage were buildings of essential services and hospitals.
The damage to hospital buildings which fell within the hurricane impact zones was significant. In cases where buildings were twenty, thirty or forty years old and constructed under less stringent, pre-hurricane Andrew Codes, the structures were vulnerable to roofs blowing off, windows blowing out, doors, louvers, satellite dishes and numerous other building components failing.
The resulting hurricane damage to hospitals put patient care in jeopardy as patient rooms and sometimes entire floors were evacuated during the storms. In addition, losses of power with only partial back up power available with limited fuel supplies, hindered hospital activities and certainly non critical patient treatment.
The construction industry is able to respond to the need. It is feasible to “harden” an existing facility regardless of age, by recladding or encapsulating an existing hospital while it remains in operation.
Superior synthetic stucco systems have been developed which contain heavy layers of mesh which can withstand winds of up to two hundred miles per hour. These systems can be attached over partially reinforced masonry structures or older metal stud structures. In those cases, additional stud strengthening is required. All windows within a hospital should be replaced to meet the large missile impact standard. In fact, it is currently being discussed to increase the glass requirement for essential services buildings to a Level E missile impact (80 ft/sec) and have the existing 50 ft/sec protection standard applied to windows 30 ft. and higher above grade. As of this date, no glass has been tested to achieve the higher impact resistance.
Hospital administrators have to best decide how to expend significant amounts if money on non revenue producing projects. Unfortunately, under the threat of upcoming active hurricane seasons, the magnitude of costs associated with the cost of substantial hurricane repair work, the replacement of lost furnishings, equipment and supplies, and the loss of revenue will greatly outweigh the expenses of preemptive hurricane hardening projects.
Hurricane Wilma was the sixth major hurricane and the twenty-first named storm of the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Damage from these storms was extensive throughout the state of Florida. Included in the damage were buildings of essential services and hospitals. 
