CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — As hospitals are preparing for a busy storm season, they are sharing several helpful tips for people with medical needs to consider when making plans ahead of Hurricanes.
Hospitals like CHRISTUS Spohn Shoreline are making preparations to ensure their patients are safe if a hurricane passes through the area.
CHRISTUS Spohn Shoreline Chief Medical Officer Raymond Acebo said the community can rest easy. The hospital has a robust hurricane preparedness plan and they test the systems they have in place regularly.
"Including ongoing readiness checks with our generators, we have plans for sufficient food supplies to weather the storm, we have plans for having adequate staff in the facility for the duration of the storm and then we have a backup team that comes in once the evacuation notice is lifted to relieve the first team," Acebo said.
For patients who are not in critical condition, Acebo said they are transported to other hospitals out of the hurricane's path.
"Those that are too critically ill to be transported will spend the hurricane in the building," Acebo said.
And in the case of electricity going out, the hospital generators will kick in so staff can continue to treat their patients.
"Those generators are tested on a regular basis, I think weekly we have a generator test, so we know they're working," Acebo said. "We often will bring in a second backup generator for the Shoreline facility."
But what if you have scheduled treatments that you can't miss, like dialysis?
In a statement, Fresenius Medical Care said in the case of a hurricane, they will set up a command post at one of their centers to treat patients until they are able to resume treatments at all of their centers.
And for those that have prescription medications.
"We want to make sure that we're really ensuring that our community members and residents know that if you have those types of medical needs that you are preparing ahead of time," Executive Director of the American Red Cross Coastal Bend Angelina Garcia said.
Garcia urges people to include their meds in their hurricane ready kits. She also advises to ask for refills in advance.
"Consider your safety, consider that you will need a 30-day supply of medications because it may be some time before local pharmacies are open and running as well," Garcia said.
TDEM is an emergency coordinating agency for the state.
The City of Corpus Christi holds an annual evacuation drill for hurricane season. Those who need evacuation assistance will need to follow news releases from the City.