Hurricane Sandy: a complex storm of historic size

An unusual set of atmospheric conditions steered Sandy west, where other storms typically head east…• Hurricane Sandy was steered between a high pressure system in

northern Canada and a low pressure trough over the Southeast US• Coincided with high tides

A number of factors contributed to Sandy’s impact

Rising to the Challenge: Superstorm Sandy and the NYC

Public Hospital System

Alan Aviles, President & CEOAmerican Hospital Association – April 29,

2013

• 1.4 million patients, including 475,000 uninsured NYC residents

•11 acute care hospitals, 4 long-term care facilities, 6 diagnostic and treatment centers, and more than 70 community health centers

•5 facilities located in flood zones; only one in lowest lying Flood Zone A

•Post-storm 2 hospitals fully evacuated, and one skilled nursing facility partially evacuated

HHC: The Largest Municipal Healthcare System in the U.S.

Preparing for the Worst

• 3 days before: no elective admissions; cancellation of clinics/elective surgery

• Extra food and medical supplies

• Testing and topping generators

• Extra staffing and cots readied

• Precautionary patient transfers

• Command centers opened• Staffing of OEM and

Healthcare Evacuation Center

• Twice daily system-wide conference calls established

• Mobile emergency generators positioned

Storm Surge Not Forecast

NYC Impact•The River in the Basement•Produced by HHC – March

2013

NYC Impact (10/28-10/29)•Seawalls breached, flooding to large

sections of lower Manhattan•Power lost below 33rd Street, including

HHC Central Office and administrative facilities

•Coastal sections of Brooklyn and Staten Island flood

•Severe devastation by both fire and flood to Queens beach communities

•Subways and road tunnels flood

NYC Devastation

NYC Devastation

NYC Devastation

NYC Devastation

NYC Devastation

Flood Zones

100 and 500-Year Flood Zone (FEMA 1983)

Actual Flooding

Flooding: HHC Facilities

Coney Island

Bellevue

Coler

Coney Island Hospital

Bellevue Hospital Center

19

Bellevue Loading Dock

20

Evacuation Down the Stairs

Coler-Goldwater Specialty Hospital

Coler-Goldwater Specialty Hospital

Special Medical Needs Shelters

Lessons Learned•Preparation•Communication•Central Coordination•New Issues when the emergency lasts longer:• Provision of prescription medications to community• Provision of dialysis services• Provision of “walk-in” primary care• Provision of mental health services• Staff redeployment plans• Electronic record access that follows the patient• Supporting all staff

Reinforced importance

Our people were awesome!