Memorial Healthcare System Fortifies its Hospitals
Hurricane season 2005 brought Hurricane Wilma and caused millions of dollars in damages for Memorial Healthcare System. Hurricane season 2006 seemed pretty mild. And with Hurricane season 2007 currently a toss up, hospital officials are not taking any chances.
Before this season gets into full swing, two Memorial Healthcare System hospitals will have a new facelift strong enough to withstand Category 4 and 5 hurricane winds. The Systems Hurricane Protection Project, which included Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood and Memorial Hospital West in Pembroke Pines, cost the Healthcare System $55 million. The project consisted of hard shelling the exterior of both hospitals, the medical office building at Memorial Regional and the installation of hurricane resistant windows at both campuses.
Mindful of Floridas potential for active hurricane seasons, Frank V. Sacco, president and CEO of Memorial Healthcare System and his team have been implementing significant hurricane protection measures for many years, including when they began planning the construction of the new Memorial Hospital Miramar. In 2005, the Miramar hospital opened with a Mediterranean-style façade that embellishes walls and windows strong enough to withstand devastating hurricane winds. The hospital was also built with other modern-time amenities, such as two isolated treatment rooms equipped to handle patients injured in biological, man-made disasters.
“In times of crisis, such as hurricanes, our community depends on us to provide much needed healthcare services,” Sacco said. “We have taken bold strides to help ensure a destructive hurricane doesnt stop us from fulfilling our healthcare mission in this community in the near future.”
