Tampa General innovation keeps Helene’s storm surge at bay

With another storm forming in the Gulf of Mexico, once again threatening the Florida Peninsula, we can expect Tampa General Hospital (TGH) to activate its hurricane preparations quickly.

The hospital takes a comprehensive approach to ensure continued patient care, no matter what comes their way.

TGH’s hurricane plan was tested – and proven successful – during last month’s Hurricane Helene.

According to the National Weather Service, Tampa Bay experienced a seven-foot storm surge during Helene. But the AquaFence, an integral part of TGH’s hurricane preparations, kept water at bay from the nearly 100-year-old hospital on Davis Islands.

Inside, patients continued to receive the world-class care they turned to Tampa General for.

On Monday, September 23, Helene would become a hurricane, as predicted will likely bring heavy winds and rain to Florida’s Gulf Coast, Tampa General Vice President of Facilities and Construction Dustin Pasteur started to set at the AquaFence around the perimeter of the hospital.

An AquaFence is a water-impermeable barrier that can withstand storm surges up to 4.5 meters above sea level and wind speeds of 210 kilometers per hour. It will take a team of 60 people and three days to complete the installation before a storm.

In an interview with CNNPasteur shared that Tampa General’s proactive storm mitigation efforts are essential for the hospital to continue providing care. TGH is the only Level 1 Trauma Center in the region.

“We have some of the most critical patients in the region in this hospital, and we have a lot of them,” Pasteur said. “So we have always designed this building to be resilient and provide protection.”

Tampa General first acquired AquaFence in 2019 and Helene was its biggest test yet. When the tide rose and Tampa Bay flooded the Davis Islands, the AquaFence proved successful.

A video shows Pasteur walking on the dry side of the wall just hours after Helene went through it, looking for vulnerabilities. On social media, millions have watched and commented on this marvel of modern technology.

The AquaFence is just one part of Tampa General’s comprehensive hurricane plan. In 2022, Tampa General completed construction of a 170,000-square-foot central power plant. This power plant is located 10 meters above sea level and provides a reliable, protected power supply during a power outage.

It was built to withstand the impact and flooding of a Category 5 hurricane. The plant houses generators and boilers that can create steam and hot water.

On-site wells ensure that patients, caregivers and team members have access to fresh water if the water supply is interrupted.

“We have two emergency wells here on site. One is more for our chillers and our water treatment plant. Then our second water is more (for) drinking water and patient care,” said Erinn SkibaTGH Deputy Director of Public Safety.

Tampa General’s clinical and non-clinical teams attend emergency management training with government and community partners several times a year to plan and practice response to severe weather events.

General President and CEO of Tampa Johannes Couris thanked the teams who participated in hurricane preparedness and activation to ensure patients could receive the care they needed during Hurricane Helene.

“The state depends on Tampa General to deliver world-class care, and we are committed to meeting that expectation while protecting our patients, physicians and team members from harm,” Couris said just hours after Helene passed away. “That’s why we have strengthened our infrastructure to withstand severe weather, prepared and practiced emergency management, and brought in additional supplies to support our teams and patients during severe weather events.

“I am grateful to all the physicians and team members who remained on site during the hurricane and for the exceptional care they continued to provide here while their families sheltered safely at home or elsewhere.”

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