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As fortunate as we have been over the past several years, we must be prepared to endure the potential of hurricane damage as Hurricane Season once again nears. Our facility preparedness is inextricably intertwined with the process and procedures which are familiar to all of you. Everyone has emergency preparedness drills, extensive training, contingency plans, and special equipment for emergencies.
Leadership at all levels is required for the facilities themselves to continue and improve the commitment of Hurricane hardening. As we review our planning and procedures, we must be diligent with the hardening of our essential service facilities. Healthcare organizations have made great strides in protecting their facilities. Some buildings were hardened, energy plants upgraded, and budgets provided for the improvements to meet all their needs. Unfortunately, after several clean hurricane seasons and ever tightening budget constraints, many facilities have delayed or scrapped plans for additional hurricane hardening. Therefore, there are still medical facilities with partially hardened patient areas, exposed infrastructures, non-impact, non-shuttered windows and doors, and non-reinforced walls that remain vulnerable.
It’s difficult to predict if we will have an active hurricane season this year. While no one enjoys the discussion of probability and statistics, chances are that a hurricane will hit the United States this year; and the odds indicated= that Florida is a possible prime location for that to occur.
Throughout the past several years we have witnessed exposed deficiencies in window installation, significant water penetration, numerous unprotected openings, unprotected equipment, unprotected tank farms and chillers, and even walls incapable of protection from high velocity missile impact. (HVMI).
There is much work left to be done. As essential service buildings, our medical facilities require standards of performance in a weather emergency. Therefore, it is imperative that the facilities will remain functioning during and available after a hurricane.
