Compared to last year’s storm, Hurricane Irma was a different experience with new challenges.
As hospital personnel prepared for Hurricane Irma, many people expected a storm similar to Hurricane Matthew in 2016. The Incident Command Center was staffed early with experienced department representatives who had evaluated the response to Matthew and were ready for this new storm. With the preparations complete and the hurricane plan implemented, the center was up and running Saturday, Sept. 9, two days before the storm.
But Hurricane Irma was no Hurricane Matthew. Even though leadership and staff were prepared, some of the challenges that came with this storm were unexpected.
“This was a different storm than Matthew,” said Dan Staifer, director of Human Resources. “With Irma, we were better prepared, but the storm was bigger, stronger and lasted longer.”
With the overflow of Hogan’s Creek, flooding was more of an issue compared to 2016. Water filled the basement and parking lot of the Pavilion, cresting nearly to the top of the delivery ramp. There were trees and fencing down, and the rooftop over the enclosure at the top of the parking garage on Boulevard flew completely off.
The Support Services team worked quickly to address these issues. Bob Hervey, director of Support Services, said there were 155 crew members working throughout the storm.
“Due to the more intense wind gusts during the driving rain, leaks from windows in patient rooms, waiting rooms and offices were a problem this year,” Hervey said.
Crews worked nonstop except during a brief period Monday, Sept. 11, at the height of the storm, for safety reasons.
The power outages were fewer and shorter this year compared with last year due to the prompt restoration to the Pavilion. In 2016, there were generator and power issues for two weeks after the storm. This year, the generators were needed for about 17 hours before power was restored. This improvement in services saved the hospital from bearing the expense of extending power.
Some of the planning this year was adjusted based on experiences from Hurricane Matthew. Communication to the entire staff started earlier and increased in frequency, with campuswide emails sent before, during and after the storm with instructions and updates.
Those staying on campus brought their own bedding, including air mattresses, blankets, sheets, and towels. This new policy helped keep more hospital resources available for patients.
The pre-storm team also stayed an extra day due to flooding in and around downtown Jacksonville. The Incident Command Center team closely monitored the bridges and roads through local newscasts for flooding and closures. As soon as it was safe to travel, the post-storm team came in to relieve the pre-storm team.
“This was a total team effort. When issues arose, people brainstormed and came up with solutions and did an amazing job across all departments,” Staifer said.