Super Bowl Weekend Super Storm
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The GBMC Command Center is a buzz with activity dealing with a huge snowstorm that dropped between 2-3 feet on our hilltop campus. Our emergency operations began Friday evening just as the first flakes of snow began. The medical center immediately went on Code Yellow with all staff remaining in place. As the snow accumulated during the night two trees went down temporarily blocking our main entrance. We had a full complement of patients with fairly full ICU’s and telemetry units.
Eric Melchior our EVP and CFO ably took command. Staffing, supplies, snow removal, transporting staff from home, finding places for staff to sleep, feeding the staff, coordinating with the county and state emergency teams were all items of priority. Jody Porter, Senior Vice-President for Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer and her team spent the first 48 hours ensuring that patients and staff were well treated.
Two and a half feet of snow is difficult to remove, but when it’s on a confined hilly campus the problem is compounded. Where do you put all the snow? Mike Forthman, VP for Facilities and his crew were in action all through the night, plowing, salting, and clearing downed trees. By Sunday morning the campus was fully cleared. Special thanks to all of Mike’s staff; Bud Butler, who kept the roads clear, Steve Cohen who coordinated 4-wheel drive volunteers who transported over 130 staff, and Jim Duerr who kept the supplies coming into the center.
Throughout the storm, the medical center continued to operate. An ambulance taking Torina McQueen of Owings Mills who had gone into labor and her fiancé, Saeed Hill, got stuck on the way to GBMC. The couple eventually made it to the hospital and safely delivered their first child - a boy named Tyson.
So many individuals worked tirelessly throughout the weekend. , COO Keith Poisson and Finance VP George Bayless, helped Eric Melchior throughout the weekend. Sunday morning Mark Thomas, VP of Human Resources took over command with Tressa Springmann, VP and CIO as liaison officer. In the Command Center Dan Tesch, GBMC Safety Officer, along with Michelle Tauson and Donita Dietz of Emergency Management and Safety were the guiding forces.
GBMC’s heroes are all of our staff, especially Cate O’Connor-Devlin (proprietress of the O’Connor-Devlin Bed and Breakfast), Kim Bushnell, Kathy Tracey, Sue Bowen, Eileen Skaarer, Michelle Patchett, Kara Lundberg, Kathy Lowerer, Sandra Scherer, Keith Jackson and C.J. Marbley who brought in DVD’s to show in the back of the cafeteria for the off duty staff. Dietary staff led by Keith Sappington, Matt Miller and Jennifer Christman fed our patients and staff. Their staff has been working non-stop for three days. Heath Jenkins’ Environmental Services with Mary Moise, and Transport Director, Judie Kusiolek with Chris Broadway have kept the hospital clean and functioning. Duke Bowen and his Patient Access staff kept patient registration up and running. Other heroes include: Joan Powers Smith from ED, Valerie Tighe from PEDs, Gretchen Bell, Jen Norris, and Janis Radcliffe from MNH, Genia Friia from M/S, Mark Kern and Jerry Mlinac from Pharmacy. Marketing’s Michael Schwartzberg and Kim Davenport have been posting messages on gbmc.org along with Twitter and Facebook. The “Gator Cam” on GBMC’s Facebook is worth a look.
On Saturday evening it was decided to pay staff that were required to say an hourly stipend while they were off shift and sleeping. Throughout this ordeal our staff has stayed positive and exhibited great team cooperation. One of our staff wrote:
“I just wanted to give my gratitude to how you handled the code yellow this weekend. I was stuck here at the hospital during the storm. I know I personally appreciate the fact that our meals were taken care of and we had a comfortable place to sleep on our unit. And finally, the fact that we are getting compensated for staying longer than our scheduled hours is great. I don't know if it was a legal issue or not, but it was the right thing to do. Everyone that I have talked to seems happy and appreciated.”
We are very proud of our staff for their efforts. More snow expected in two days!
