Memorial Medical Center plans to stand strong in stormy weather
PORT LAVACA, Texas -Â Memorial Medical Center remained operational during Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and Tropical Storm Beta in 2020.
"We were hit. We were without electricity for a week, a little over a week I think," said Chief Nursing Officer Erin Clevenger. "And at that time, we were on an old generator that could only power critical equipment."Â
With the potential for future storms, the hospital's Chief Executive Officer Rashonda Thomas assured that their team is prepared for any situation.
"The staff is trained mentally and physically prepared to handle the surge, and making sure that the patient is are not overlooked or neglected, you know, Thomas said. "You're always limited sometimes when disasters take place,and so having a lot of that backup equipment, such as the generator, is crucial for us."
In emergencies, an Incident Commander takes charge to lead Memorial Medical Center's team.
"Me being the CEO, if I'm not the incident commander, then I follow the incident commander, so my title, even though it is important, it's not important when we're dealing with and we're calling an incident drill," Thomas said. "Or we're actually in the full mode and my incident commander is in charge at that point."
Despite the ongoing risks, the hospital remains confident in their ability to keep patients and staff safe.
Clevenger said"We've done it several times, I've been here through several hurricanes and just been safe. We're lucky."
Thomas said, "What we've experienced has been a solid building of preparation work that keeps us secure and safe during times of disaster."
With extensive training, a dedicated staff, and established procedures, Memorial Medical Center stands ready to face future storms and continue providing essential care to the community.
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