Hospital administrators reviewing plans to keep patients safe in severe storms

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Dozens of UF Health leaders got together for this Erika disaster prep planning meeting.

The hospital’s emergency manager for disaster preparedness Timothy Devin says these planning meetings are crucial because it’s been a long time since Jacksonville was hit by a hurricane.

“Everyone gets complacent at times when things don’t happen as often,” Devin said.

This is especially true when there are new faces at the table.

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“Positions change all the time. So over the past year or two we might have some physician changes that come from up north. So they’re not familiar with hurricanes and what the impact’s going to be to us,” Devin said.

Similar conversations are happening over at Mayo Clinic, which was constructed to withstand up to a Category 5 hurricane.

Some of the issues brought up in Thursday’s meeting were stocking up on medical supplies ahead of time, making arrangements if staff members have to stay overnight and making sure parking lots and storm drains are ready for a downpour.

Baptist Health said as the storm gets closer, it may start canceling elective surgeries and discharging patients who are healthy enough to leave.

WJAX