Article

2012-11-01 -Short Attention Span Theater-

After Sandy, NY hospital generators fail just like New Orleans

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Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2012-11-01 01:06|| E-Mail|| Front Page|| [336068 views ] Top

#1 After the Allison and Rita flooding, the Texas Medical Center came to an interesting conclusion: don't store emergency equipment in the basement, particularly generators.
Whoda thunk?

Posted by ed in texas 2012-11-01 07:10|| 2012-11-01 07:10|| Front Page Top

#2 They found that out in Mobile as well. Guess the word doesn't get around. Now if they sack the senior management of the hospitals, I bet it would get the attention and action it requires. Nah. Who gets fired for really serious stuff anymore? It's usually some form of zipper disease to move these types out.

Posted by Procopius2k 2012-11-01 09:29|| 2012-11-01 09:29|| Front Page Top

#3 and a vented in-the-ground fuel tank for the generator FTW!

Posted by Frank G 2012-11-01 10:06|| 2012-11-01 10:06|| Front Page Top

#4 We've been recommending generator and electrical switchgear placements above-grade (including upper levels) for years to our customers in areas that basement flooding occurs (like most metro areas in our upper midwest market). Problem is that space is at such a premium for a lot of the facility types, this equipment is placed in the 'dark recesses' more often than not.

Newer (and expensive) technologies allow 'dual-fuel' (LP/NG & Diesel) operation for larger generators that does offer some protection. Bellevue almost got it right.

Posted by Mullah Richard 2012-11-01 11:21|| 2012-11-01 11:21|| Front Page Top

#5 Same thing happened at a hospital in Boston during the blackout back in the 1960s. Generator in the basement; pumps, but electrically powered.

Posted by Pappy 2012-11-01 11:28|| 2012-11-01 11:28|| Front Page Top

#6 Welcome to civilisation Green style.

Posted by Bright Pebbles 2012-11-01 12:53|| 2012-11-01 12:53|| Front Page Top

#7 Guess what happens w/r to access to electronic patient records when the hospital loses power! There are none...no flipping thru the charts while holding a flashlight. No records to send with an evacuated patient.

Posted by tipover 2012-11-01 13:52|| 2012-11-01 13:52|| Front Page Top

#8 Didn't something like ground-level (or underground) generators happen in that Japanese Nuclear Reactor as well?

Posted by CrazyFool 2012-11-01 13:59|| 2012-11-01 13:59|| Front Page Top

#9 Followup snippets from the NYT:

-- The evacuation went quickly only because Bellevue had planned for such a possibility before Hurricane Irene hit last year, several doctors said.
--- Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn was straining to meet a rising need for emergency dialysis for hundreds of people shut out of storm-crippled private dialysis centers. Patients who would normally get three hours of dialysis were getting only two, to ensure the maximum number of people received at least a minimal amount of care.
--- Every hospital maintains an elaborate disaster plan, but after Hurricane Sandy, the fact that many health care facilities are in low-lying areas proved to be something of an Achilles heel.
--- as prepared as we think we are weve never had a mock disaster drill where we carried patients downstairs. Im shocked that we didnt do that. Now were going to.
--- Despite the power problems, Bellevue was able to print out some medical records or get summaries from doctors to send with patients. But landlines and cellphones were affected, and doctors and nurses said they wished some other form of communication, like walkie-talkies, had been available.

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2012-11-01 23:28|| 2012-11-01 23:28|| Front Page Top

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