hurricane sandy: a complex storm of historic size
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Hurricane Sandy: a complex storm of historic size. A number of factors contributed to Sandy’s impact. An unusual set of atmospheric conditions steered Sandy west, where other storms typically head east… - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Hurricane Sandy: a complex storm of historic size
An unusual set of atmospheric conditions steered Sandy west, where other storms typically head east…• Hurricane Sandy was steered between a high pressure system in
northern Canada and a low pressure trough over the Southeast US• Coincided with high tides
A number of factors contributed to Sandy’s impact
Rising to the Challenge: Superstorm Sandy and the NYC
Public Hospital System
Alan Aviles, President & CEOAmerican Hospital Association – April 29,
2013
• 1.4 million patients, including 475,000 uninsured NYC residents
•11 acute care hospitals, 4 long-term care facilities, 6 diagnostic and treatment centers, and more than 70 community health centers
•5 facilities located in flood zones; only one in lowest lying Flood Zone A
•Post-storm 2 hospitals fully evacuated, and one skilled nursing facility partially evacuated
HHC: The Largest Municipal Healthcare System in the U.S.
Preparing for the Worst
• 3 days before: no elective admissions; cancellation of clinics/elective surgery
• Extra food and medical supplies
• Testing and topping generators
• Extra staffing and cots readied
• Precautionary patient transfers
• Command centers opened• Staffing of OEM and
Healthcare Evacuation Center
• Twice daily system-wide conference calls established
• Mobile emergency generators positioned
Storm Surge Not Forecast
NYC Impact•The River in the Basement•Produced by HHC – March
2013
NYC Impact (10/28-10/29)•Seawalls breached, flooding to large
sections of lower Manhattan•Power lost below 33rd Street, including
HHC Central Office and administrative facilities
•Coastal sections of Brooklyn and Staten Island flood
•Severe devastation by both fire and flood to Queens beach communities
•Subways and road tunnels flood
NYC Devastation
NYC Devastation
NYC Devastation
NYC Devastation
NYC Devastation
Flood Zones
100 and 500-Year Flood Zone (FEMA 1983)
Actual Flooding
Flooding: HHC Facilities
Coney Island
Bellevue
Coler
Coney Island Hospital
Bellevue Hospital Center
19
Bellevue Loading Dock
20
Evacuation Down the Stairs
Coler-Goldwater Specialty Hospital
Coler-Goldwater Specialty Hospital
Special Medical Needs Shelters
Lessons Learned•Preparation•Communication•Central Coordination•New Issues when the emergency lasts longer:• Provision of prescription medications to community• Provision of dialysis services• Provision of “walk-in” primary care• Provision of mental health services• Staff redeployment plans• Electronic record access that follows the patient• Supporting all staff
Reinforced importance
Our people were awesome!