Focus: Emergency Preparedness

California power outage disrupted patient care on Northern Coast

A majority of the state’s counties lost power for portions of October


Four healthcare providers in a single California county lost heat, lights, running water, telephones, =patient records and more during the largest intentional power shutdown in American history, according to an article on the Direct Relief website.

A majority of the state’s counties lost power for portions of October, as Pacific Gas & Electric and other California utility companies shut down the grid in an attempt to prevent their infrastructure from sparking wildfires amid strong winds.

“It was a wake-up call for everybody,” said Lynn Finley, chief nursing officer of Mendocino Coast District Hospital (MCDH) in Ft. Bragg. “We’re anticipating we will see this frequently, so we need to be better prepared to take care of our communities.”

In late October, Direct Relief surveyed nearly 300 community health centers in California about how they were affected by the power shut-downs. Of the 31 that responded, 39% said they had lost power during the grid shut-offs, and 29% were forced to close during the outages.

Read the article.



November 25, 2019


Topic Area: Sustainable Operations


Recent Posts

Disinfectant Contact Time: The Case for Biofilm Disruption

Contact time, while essential for compliance, does not reliably predict microbial reduction on actual healthcare surfaces.


Texas HHSC Reaches Construction Milestone for Panhandle State Hospital in Amarillo

Construction is expected to be completed in fall 2027.


Mon General Succumbs to Phishing Cyberattack

Its investigation ultimately determined that an unauthorized party gained access to certain Mon General email mailboxes on May 6, 2026.


The HVAC Dilemma: To Repair or Replace?

Healthcare facilities that keep repairing and optimizing aging systems past their useful life spend money on a problem they cannot solve without capital investment.


Department of Veterans Affairs Signs Lease for Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Kentucky

Construction and facility preparation are expected to be completed by the winter of 2027, and the first patient should be seen by spring 2028.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

 
 
 
 

Healthcare Facilities Today membership includes free email newsletters from our facility-industry brands.

Facebook   Twitter   LinkedIn   Posts

Copyright © 2023 TradePress. All rights reserved.