Three months after superstorm Sandy, New York City hospitals have begun moving forward with plans to improve emergency preparedness at their facilities.
The Wall Street Journal reports NYU Langone Medical Center, Bellevue Hospital Center and Coney Island Hospital are investing millions of dollars in measures to prevent the chaotic situations experienced during the Oct. 29 storm and its aftermath.
The plans vary by hospital, but include moving critical equipment — such as electrical, heating, IT and water pumps — away from areas that are subject to flooding. NYU and Bellevue are also looking into building flood barriers, and Coney Island is considering rebuilding its emergency department on higher ground, according to the article.
To improve its ability to maintain power during a storm, NYU is working on a new $250-million energy building it hopes to complete by 2016. The hospital is also planning a combined heat and power plant to serve the facility, reports the WSJ.
Funding for the various hospitals’ projects will likely come from a combination of federal emergency money and insurance payouts.
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