Flooding can impact any facility in any industry, but healthcare can be especially problematic. Not only are hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities and other structures part of critical infrastructure – caring for and sometimes housing the most vulnerable members of our communities – they present special challenges due to their features and architecture.
The Facts:
The American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) states: “Hospitals around the country are indeed preparing for more frequent and severe weather events – from heat and hurricanes to blizzards and floods – through upgrades to their campuses, equipment, and emergency plans.”
This article also points out some the most concerning areas for flood control in healthcare facilities: loading docks and lobbies. These areas are on or below ground level, of course, and as a result can be extra vulnerable to flooding. In addition, it is often necessary to house some of a hospital or clinic’s most expensive and sensitive equipment in the facility’s lowest levels to accommodate weight, control noise and maximize stability.
In the summer of 2024, an intense rain event caused flash flooding in Bismarck, North Dakota, and Sanford Health suffered extensive damage to its ground floor and basement. Videos of water pouring from the ceiling onto one of the hospital’s CT scanners made the rounds on social media, providing visual confirmation of the importance of flood protection for healthcare infrastructure.
An article co-authored by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety sums it up:
…hospitals and other healthcare facilities can be vulnerable to extensive damage and loss of use due to extreme weather events. In additional to devastating property damage, disruption of healthcare operations adversely affects the surrounding community’s physical well-being and economic recovery. All too often, lives are at risk when healthcare facilities are not resilient and reliable.
The Challenge:
It is necessary for hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities to be easily accessible, and this fact means that lower levels present challenges for flood prevention. Loading docks, emergency rooms, lobbies and more all provide entry points for floodwater and must be addressed. Also, important (and expensive) testing equipment like CT and MRI scanners are heavy, often noisy and require a stabile base. This makes them a natural fit for the ground floor or basement, exposing them to the most acute threats of flooding.
The Solution:
Facilities such as Jersey City Medical Center in New Jersey and Texas Medical Center in Houston (according to FEMA, the nation’s largest healthcare mega-plex) count on flood prevention solutions from PS Flood Barriers™ to protect their people and property. Design, engineering and manufacturing all take place under one roof at PS Flood Barriers, and this collaboration results in flood solutions that are innovative, effective and proven to stand up to extreme weather.
PS Flood Barriers engineers and manufactures both passive flood solutions, which are always in place and require no human intervention, and active flood solutions, which are quick to deploy when fast action is required. A combination of both methods is often employed to protect important healthcare infrastructure.
Passive solutions include, but aren’t limited to:
Hydro1® Flood Doors are always in place, proving reliable flood protection while allowing pedestrian access to your facility. This is a purpose-built flood door, unlike repurposed hollow metal doors that fail to meet flood codes. The Hydro1 Flood Door features the lowest leakage rate in the industry.
AquaTrigger® Flood Barriers provide peace of mind for applications such as driveways/walkways, storefronts, exterior door openings and loading docks.
The AquaTrigger Automatic Flip-Up Flood Barrier self-stores flush with a walk/drive surface and is AASHTO H-20 / HS-20 load rated for large truck traffic. If flooding occurs, the water’s hydrostatic pressure causes the barrier to automatically pivot up, providing water protection up to eight feet in height.- The AquaTrigger Self-Closing Flood Barrier stores itself recessed into the ground, and when flooding occurs, the barrier rises into position without human intervention, electricity or power.
Active solutions include, but aren’t limited to:
Vertical Lift Flood Barriers provide powerful flood protection designed for unique opening applications. Powered or manually operated, these barriers lift up and down to provide water protection during flooding conditions. They’re perfect for flood-proofing areas where conventional swinging, sliding or lift-out barriers will not work.
Hinged Flood Barriers are designed specifically for the height of water protection that you require. Similar to a swing door, this barrier is permanently installed at the opening. When flooding is imminent, the Hinged Flood Barrier is closed and latched, providing an excellent solution where underground walkways and tunnels (equipment tunnels, pedestrian tunnels or utility tunnels) are flooded during heavy storms.
Healthcare facilities are simply too important to leave unprotected from floodwater. In an emergency, they are often among the last safe havens for those who are most vulnerable, and in order to provide the care that is so desperately needed, lower building levels must stay dry. If you are interested in how PS Flood Barriers can work with you to protect your hospital, clinic or long-term care facility, contact the experienced professionals at PS Flood Barriers today. Call 877-446-1519 or click here to use our contact form.
Sources:
https://www.mylosscontrolservices.com/Images/Preparing%20Healthcare%20Facilities%20for%20Disaster_tcm148-21247.pdf
https://www.aamc.org/news/hurricanes-heat-waves-fires-floods-hospitals-build-defenses-climate-change-stirs-weather
https://www.fema.gov/es/node/453674