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Nov 06, 2024

Flood Barrier Protecting Florida Hospital May Not Be Enough To Stop Milton - Newsweek

A flood barrier designed to protect a Florida hospital just withstood Hurricane Helene, however it may not be enough to stop Milton. Tampa General Hospital contains the region's only Level 1 trauma

A flood barrier designed to protect a Florida hospital just withstood Hurricane Helene, however it may not be enough to stop Milton.

Tampa General Hospital contains the region's only Level 1 trauma center, meaning it is equipped to provide 24-hour care from general surgeons, provide referrals and resources to the community, and can meet its minimum requirement for severely injured patients every year, according to the American Trauma Society.

The hospital was not evacuated during Hurricane Helene, and used a flood barrier manufactured by a Norwegian-based company AquaFence as one of the methods to protect itself, Tampa General Hospital spokesperson Jennifer Crabtree told local media outlet WESH 2 News.

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A video published by various news outlets at the time showed the barrier successfully keep water at bay from the hospital. However it may not be able to do the same during Hurricane Milton.

The Tampa Bay Times reports that Tampa General is situated in one of Tampa's lowest neighborhoods, which makes the hospital extremely vulnerable to not only high winds, but a storm surge of up to 15 feet of water.

The barrier is only designed to protect a maximum of 10-15 feet of water, so if Milton does surge any higher than that, the fence may not be as effective in protecting the hospital as it was during Hurricane Helene.

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Additionally, winds from Hurricane Milton are expected to reach speeds as high as 160 mph. According to Crabtree, the fence can protect against up to 130 mph winds, however she added that the barrier has been reinforced with resin and concrete anchors to make it extra secure in the face of stronger winds.

AquaFence has been contacted via email for comment.

Newsweek reached out to Tampa General Hospital for comment and was directed towards the hospital's press release, which quoted its assistant director of public safety, Erinn Skiba, saying, "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."

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She added, "Our fence around the Davis Islands campus is up, supplies are stocked at all hospital locations, and the teams stand ready to provide care through Hurricane Milton."

The barrier is not Tampa General's only means of protecting their patients from the incoming storm. The hospital has implemented several other safety measures, including back-up energy and water supplies.

Per the press release, "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."

Hurricane Milton is the first storm in 100 years to hit Tampa directly, and is expected to bring life-threatening devastation to the area.

Tampa's mayor, Jane Castor, told residents on October 7 via a CNN interview: "If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you're going to die."

This is not the only stark message that has been delivered to residents living in evacuation zones.

On October 7, CNN reported on a press conference where Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody told Floridians who are unwilling or unable to evacuate: "You probably need to write your name in permanent marker on your arm so that people know who you are when they get to you afterwards."

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