Accommodations are made in non-essential areas for staff and patients at a hospital during a snowstorm. At South Nassau Communities Hospital, sleeping accommodations are made for staff before, during and after the storm, or whenever travel might be dangerous, said Jennifer Mandel, coordinator of South Nassau’s emergency preparedness planning and operations. “Additionally, part of our training for all hospital staff is to ensure that they are prepared for an emergency event by stocking their homes with flashlights, batteries, a radio, non-perishable food and water,” Mandel said. “We ask staff to develop back-up plans for children, elders and pets in the event that schools are canceled or other care arrangements are not available, understanding our commitment to patient care.
Children and family members of child patients are not generally kept at Mercy Hospital during an emergency situation, said Dr. Aaron Glatt, the hospital’s executive vice president and chief administrative officer. “We are not a child care center,” Glatt said. “They are not a good place for children to be, in hospitals. On an individual basis, in an emergency situation, we accommodate them. But it’s unusual.”
At North Shore LIJ, they have “visiting hours around the clock anyway,” said Lynam. “We have sleeper beds and pullout recliners where staff and parents of child patients can stay to sleep. We try to keep them comfortable and fed.”
“Today, last week, this happens all the time,” Glatt said. “We just have to have adequate materials, food, supplies, and appropriate medicines. We are fully equipped to handle any emergency.”