Field hospitals occupy flood zones despite warnings

E&E News identified 16 facilities in flood zones using FEMA online flood maps


More than a dozen medical facilities built in response to the coronavirus pandemic are located in dangerous flood zones despite federal guidance saying they should be "outside all high-risk flood hazard areas," according to an article on the E&E News website.

For instance, the Miami Beach Convention Center, which the Army Corps of Engineers recently converted into a 450-bed hospital, sits four blocks from the Atlantic Ocean in a mandatory evacuation zone that is vulnerable to storm-surge flooding during Category 1 hurricanes.

Flood zones are risky places for temporary medical centers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency warned in guidance this month. Patients may have to be evacuated, and floodwaters could make the facilities inaccessible for employees and suppliers.

E&E News identified 16 facilities in flood zones using FEMA online flood maps, Army Corps records and news stories about temporary medical centers. All but three are on the East Coast.

Read the article.

 



May 12, 2020


Topic Area: Safety


Recent Posts

Why Healthcare Facilities Management Is Critical to Patient Safety 

Hospitals and other healthcare facilities rely on much more than doctors and nurses to keep patients safe.


Brookdale Senior Living Announces Acquisition of the Brookdale Galleria Community

The 244-unit independent living and assisted living community is located directly adjacent to The Galleria shopping and entertainment complex.


Erlanger Health System Falls Victim to Data Breach

Erlanger has no evidence of any improper use of the information because of this incident.


Technological Readiness: The Missing Construction Milestone

A new building can be complete by most measures but still not be technologically or operationally ready.


From Cooling Towers to Cost Savings: Hospital Seizes Power-Saving Opportunity

Case study: Arkansas hospital increases energy efficiency by diagnosing cooling tower issues and treating its entire mechanical system.


 
 


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.