TAMPA, Fla. — As the Tampa Bay area braces for Hurricane Milton's landfall, officials with Tampa General Hospital announced they have opened their incident command center and implemented their preparedness plan.
That plan includes setting up their "aquafence," a water-impermeable barrier that can withstand storm surge up to 15 feet above sea level, and stocking important supplies at all of their locations.
"We have a proactive and comprehensive plan in place to protect our locations against severe weather so we can continue to provide the exceptional care for which our patients turn to Tampa General,” said Assistant Director of Public Safety Erinn Skiba.
The hospital will also look to its Central Energy Plant, a 16,000-square-foot on-site energy source that will provide backup power to the building if there's a disruption.
"It is built to withstand the impact and flooding of a Category 5 hurricane," officials said. "The plant houses generators and boilers that can create steam and hot water."
A well will also be available to supply patients and staff with water. In addition, 5,000 gallons of water were moved on-site.
Lastly, as far as preparations, TGH and the three hospitals that makeup TGH North will provided the following information:
- More than five days of supplies will be available, including food and linens to support patient care and team members.
- Tampa General health care providers and staff who are trained in emergency management will remain on-site throughout the storm to care for patients. As soon as the storm passes, and the roads are safe, additional providers and staff will return to work to relieve teams and continue supporting response and recovery efforts.
As TGH continues to monitor Hurricane Milton, any changes to hours of operation, services available or the visitation policy can be viewed here.
