Demonstrators to call for reopening of LBMC

In an attempt to draw attention to what has become a raw issue for many residents, a demonstration will be held on Saturday in front of Long Beach Medical Center to call on state and hospital officials to reopen the shuttered facility, which has remained closed since Hurricane Sandy.

Demonstrators will stage a sit-in — or what’s being described as a “die-in” — on Saturday at 9:30 a.m., at the corner of Lincoln Boulevard and East Bay Drive, where they will express the need for an emergency department on the barrier island. For three minutes, demonstrators will lie on the ground and “play dead” to illustrate that lives continue to be put at risk each day LBMC remains closed. The rally will call on state and hospital officials to open a 24-hour, 911-ambulance receiving urgent care facility.

“I think some people will have fun with it, but the whole thing is to get there at 9 a.m., and at 9:30 a.m. we will blow an air horn and everyone dies for three minutes,” said one organizer who declined to be identified. “We hope the whole community comes out — it’s a creative and great way for people to voice their frustrations.”

A Facebook page was created to promote the event, which states, “Though this is a very serious issue, we encourage you to have fun with this. Come as you are, or dress the part. Media will be alerted, so signs and the like are encouraged. This is intended to be a powerful, but fun and peaceful way to make our voices heard. You are asked to be respectful to the neighbors and quietly leave and go about your day after the three-minute ‘die-in’ concludes. If you’re driving, please park legally.”

The event is not being planned in conjunction with the city or any local community groups, organizers said. As of Wednesday, 60 people signed up for the event on Facebook.

The Long Beach Medical Center closed after 10 feet of water flooded its basement during Sandy. The hospital spent months making repairs, and in June, officials said it had all major work done to allow two wings to open, including the emergency department.

However, the state health department refused to allow the facility to reopen, and called for LBMC to merge with another hospital, suggesting South Nassau Communities Hospital as a viable option. Shah cited the hospital’s poor financial management — it had lost more than $2 million per year since 2008— as a major factor in his decision. The hospital, the state and SNCH have been in negotiations for the past seven months.