Incident Command Center proves invaluable in managing hurricane-related logistics.
The rain fell steadily and winds intensified as Hurricane Irma traveled northward through Florida on Sunday, Sept. 10. As the First Coast braced for the storm, leaders and key staff at UF Health Jacksonville were at the hospital’s Incident Command Center making sure clinical operations continued without interruption.
The Incident Command Center opened Saturday morning in the hospital’s administrative suite, where personnel monitored the hurricane’s progression, kept tabs on its local effects and answered staff phone calls around the clock.
Meetings were held several times a day, with Sunday and Monday being the busiest. During each gathering, directors and department managers reported on the status of their particular areas of operations and if they needed support or resources. Staff at the Pavilion and UF Health North joined in via conference call.
Water leaks, power outages, staffing levels, disaster linens and sleeping accommodations for overnight staff were among the concerns addressed. The developments disclosed during each meeting were the basis for the periodic campuswide emails employees received throughout the storm.
“The routine updates at the meetings were among the most important aspects,” said Human Resources Director Dan Staifer, who served as incident commander during the hurricane. “That kept everyone in the loop and allowed the focus to be on the priorities.”
Greg Miller, the hospital’s chief operating officer, said they were in constant communication with UF Health personnel in Gainesville, as key systems here, such as Epic, run through the Gainesville campus. The same is true for the payroll process.
There was also much discussion about how long the hospital’s Team A – the pre- and during-storm staff – would remain at work and when conditions would allow for post-storm staff to report. Leaders ultimately decided Team A would stay through Monday and into Tuesday.
“With bridge closures and flooding, we were concerned if people would be able to get home,” Miller said.
The downtown and north campuses returned to normal operations Tuesday, Sept. 12, with the Incident Command Center taking calls until noon that day.
“Everyone did an absolutely superb job,” said Russ Armistead, CEO of UF Health Jacksonville. “We just came through this hurricane with lots of leaks and we lost some power in some of our facilities. But overall, it was a pretty tremendous effort.”