Florida hospitals are doing amazing things to stay operational throughout Hurricane Milton.
At a glance:
- As Hurricane Milton approaches Florida’s Gulf Coast, hospitals and healthcare facilities are preparing for the storm’s impact, with over 300 facilities evacuated.
- Tampa General Hospital and other medical centers have stocked supplies and reinforced defenses to stay operational through the hurricane.
- Evacuations are underway for thousands of patients, with long-term care facilities and hospitals across the region preparing for prolonged power outages and potential flooding.
Florida hospitals, still recovering from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, are now preparing for the imminent arrival of Hurricane Milton, expected to make landfall south of Tampa late Wednesday. Healthcare facilities are on high alert, with evacuations already in progress as the powerful storm threatens to bring devastating winds and storm surges up to 15 feet.
According to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, 10 hospitals have evacuated patients, with nearly 300 healthcare facilities across the state, including nursing homes and assisted living facilities, following suit. Officials describe it as Florida’s largest healthcare evacuation in memory.
Hospitals that remain open, like Tampa General Hospital, are stocked with days’ worth of supplies, including food, water, and medical necessities. Tampa General has deployed a flood barrier known as the “aquafence” to protect against storm surge, a measure proven effective during Hurricane Helene just two weeks ago. Sarasota Memorial Health Care System is also prepared to shelter more than 4,000 people, with staff on hand to stay multiple nights as the storm passes.
As Florida faces its second major hurricane in just weeks, the pressure is mounting on healthcare facilities to maintain operations and provide care amid challenging conditions. With storm surges and strong winds expected, hospitals are making final preparations to weather Hurricane Milton while ensuring patient safety.
One of the most amazing things the hospitals have done is install a flood wall, the aquafence we mentioned earlier, which is a barrier that protects the hospitals form flooding.
Look at how this thing works:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2Qm-nAXhPQ
Florida might be in a bad spot with regards to weather, but at least they have great governance and teams of people ready to protect those in need.