Catastrophic flooding forces Iowa hospital evacuation
Emergency Management Alert, June 24, 2008
In a series of incidents reminiscent of Hurricane Katrina, floodwaters have devastated areas of the Midwest and taken their toll on healthcare facilities.
In one case, Friday, June 13, proved to be an unlucky day for Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, IA, as the hospital was forced to evacuate due to the flooding of the Cedar River, which bisects the city.
About half of the hospital’s 176 patients and 30 of its nursing home residents were relocated to St. Luke’s Hospital, also in Cedar Rapids. The remaining patients were evacuated to other hospitals in the region. Mercy’s incident command center coordinated the evacuation, along with the governor’s office and state and local officials.
Limited patient services have been restored and the hospital expects to fully reopen by the end of June. Hospitals can expect Joint Commission (formerly JCAHO) surveyors to focus on these flooding incidents during emergency management sessions for at least the near future.
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